CHAPTER 8: Political Participation
Between 1860 and1900, the percentage of eligible voters participating in presidential elections a. was rarely above 30 percent. b. was rarely above 40 percent. c. was usually around 50 percent. d. was generally comparable to vote turnout today. e. ranged between 65 and 80 percent.
e
Americans typically have higher rates of political participation than citizens in other democracies true or not
true
Compared with citizens of other countries, Americans vote in more elections and for more offices. true or not
true
For decades after receiving suffrage, women voted in smaller proportions than men. true or false
true
In areas where many non-English speaking persons live, election authorities can supply ballots to voters that are written in their own language. true or not
true
Latinos are the most underrepresented group among all voters. true or not
true
The 2008 presidential election featured a record level of voter turnout among young persons (below thirty years of age). true or false
true
Voter registration rates vary by age true or not
true
Voter turnout in U.S. presidential elections was generally higher in the later part of the nineteenth century. true or not
true
What view of history do scholars take that believe that there has been a real decline in voter turnout?
ANS: a. During the nineteenth century, the parties fought hard to increase political participation. b. Legal barriers to participation were kept low. c. Elections were close and exciting. d. After 1896, the North became solidly Republican and the South became solidly Democrat. e. Both parties became more conservative and the Republicans started to win consistently. f. Citizens began to lose interest in politics because it no longer seemed relevant to their needs. g. The parties cease to exist as organizations to mobilize mass participation.
Identify the most important changes in elections and, where relevant, note associated constitutional amendments.
ANS: a. Extension of suffrage to the former slaves (Fifteenth Amendment); b. extension of suffrage to women (Nineteenth Amendment); c. extension of suffrage to those 18 to 20 years of age (Twenty-Sixth Amendment); and d. the direct election of members of the U.S. Senate.
Identify some of the ways that African-Americans were discouraged from participating in elections.
ANS: a. Literacy tests b. Poll tax c. Grandfather clause d. White primary
Between 1915 and 1925, the size of the eligible voting population in the United States almost doubled. The main reason for this was that a. the Fifteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. b. women were given the right to vote. c. the grandfather clause, which denied voting to blacks, was ruled unconstitutional. d. literacy tests for blacks were ruled unconstitutional. e. voter-registration laws were abolished in seventeen states.
b
When registered nonvoters are asked why they did not vote, the most common response that they give refers to a. family obligations. b. scheduling conflicts or being "too busy." c. the negative nature of campaigns and so-called attack ads. d. a sense that their vote would not matter. e. a loss of faith in the American system of government.
b
Which of the following was not a device intended to prevent blacks from voting? a. The grandfather clause b. The poll tax c. The literacy test d. The Australian ballot e. The white primary
d
By federal law, those areas in which less than 50 percent of the population has voted in presidential elections a. can have federal elections canceled. b. lose a seat in the House of Representatives. c. are placed on probation until the turnout rises to 55 percent or more. d. cannot be treated differently from any other area of the country. e. can be subject to federal voter registrars and poll watchers.
e
In most European countries, voter registration is a. complex. b. costly. c. automatic. d. permanent. e. both C and D.
e
In the aftermath of the 2002 reforms, ________ are to be used by voters in presidential elections. a. paper ballots b. lever machines c. punch cards d. optical scans e. all of the above
e
Rates of political participation tend to be higher among those who a. are employed. b. have gone to college. c. are white. d. are black as opposed to being Hispanic. e. All of the above.
e
What percentage of registered voters has typically participated in presidential elections since 1968? a. 25 percent b. 35 percent c. 50 percent d. 60 percent e. 70 percent
e
The Motor Voter Law allows citizens in 25 states to register to vote when they obtain their driver's license. true or not
false
The gap between the VEP and the VAP is increasing. true or not
true
During the nineteenth century, the term floaters referred to a. individuals who were undecided as election day approached. b. individuals who voted more than once. c. members of political parties who defected to the other side. d. voters who refused to support incumbents. e. voters who always supported incumbents.
b
Religion is not a significant factor in determining who votes and who does not vote. true or not
false
The Motor Voter Law has clearly led to an increase in vote turnout true or not
false
The number of eligible voters doubled when women were allowed to vote in 1920. true or false
false
The text identifies voting as the sole measure of citizen participation in politics. true or not
false
Voter fraud today is more prevalent than in the nineteenth century and helps explain declining voter turnout. true or not
false
When VEP is used instead of VAP, estimates of voter turnout tend to decrease. true or not
false
When the voting age was lowered to eighteen, those eighteen to twenty-one years of age voted in impressive numbers. true or false
false
Women were first allowed to vote in the South. true or not
false
Religious citizens at all income levels are more likely to give to charities than comparable citizens who are religiously unaffiliated. true or not
true
Several states permitted women to vote prior to the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment true or not
true
States first began adopting the Australian ballot around 1890. true or not
true
Strict voter registration requirements accomplished two things: They reduced fraud and they reduced voter turnout. true or not
true
Survey figures on political participation tend to exaggerate the frequency of actual participation. true or false
true
The 1972 elections were the first that allowed eighteen-year-olds to vote. true or false
true
The Australian ballot was cast in secret. true or not
true
The Motor Voter Law has clearly led to an increase in the number of registered voters. true or not
true
The Twenty-sixth Amendment gave eighteen-year-olds the right to vote in state elections. true or false
true
The VAP is problematic as a baseline measure because some people in that figure are not actually eligible to vote. true or not
true
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 suspended the use of literacy tests. true or not
true
The diminishing role of parties in voter registration and turnout is one probable reason for the decline in voting. true or not
true
Very high levels of registration and voting, suggests the text, could be a measure of citizen dissatisfaction. true or not
true
Women did not receive the right to vote in all U.S. elections until the twentieth century. true or not
true
Writing a letter to the editor would be an example of political participation. true or not
true
Campaigners are distinguished from the general population by their a. higher education levels and stronger opinions. b. lower education levels and stronger opinions. c. higher education levels and weaker opinions. d. lower education levels and weaker opinions. e. lack of party identification and distaste for conflict.
a
In recent years, the gap between the VAP and VEP has a. increased. b. remained about the same. c. decreased somewhat. d. decreased considerably. e. varied in no consistent way.
a
Identify and describe the six different kinds of U.S. citizens characterized in the classic study by Verba and Nie.
ANS: a. Inactives: About 22 percent of the population—typically have low levels of education and income, are relatively young. b. Activists: About 11 percent of the population—tend to be middle aged. c. Voting specialists: Vote and do little else—tend to have low levels of education and income, are substantially older than average. d. Campaigners: Vote and are involved—better educated, interested in conflict and struggle. e. Communalists: Do not like conflict and struggle—are involved in the community, more nonpartisan. f. Parochial participants: Do not vote or participate in many ways— are willing, however, to contact officials about specific, often personal problems.
Explain the difference between VAP and VEP and note how making this distinction impacts our view of recent elections.
ANS: a. The VAP measures the voting-age population. b. The VEP population measures the voting-age population that is also eligible to vote (removing disenfranchised felons, persons who are institutionalized, and so on). c. The gap between the two measures has grown since 1948. d. When using VEP, turnout rates are not as dreary looking.
Summarize what the text says about the youth vote in the historic 1972 election and in elections since that time.
ANS: a. There were about 25 million newly eligible voters as a result of the passage of the Twenty-Sixth Amendment. b. About 42 percent of them turned out to vote. c. They did not really flock to either party or any candidate. d. There have been many predictions of a "youth surge" in subsequent elections. e. Even where there have been increases (2008), the relative turnout of this group has always been low.
The Twenty-sixth Amendment extended suffrage to a. those aged eighteen to twenty. b. blacks. c. women. d. residents of the District of Columbia. e. felons who had received presidential pardons.
a
The steady decline in U.S. voter turnout appears to be the unintentional result of a. strict voter-registration procedures. b. the poll tax. c. the fraudulent reporting of election results. d. literacy testing. e. media campaigns.
a
Two of the participation groups that Verba and Nie describe, campaigners and communalists, differ primarily in their a. taste for conflict. b. political ideology. c. socioeconomic status. d. general level of participation. e. intensity of religious sentiment.
a
Blacks first voted in large numbers in the South a. in the 1970s. b. after the Voting Rights Act of 1965. c. after World War II. d. early in the twentieth century. e. soon after the Civil War.
b
Which of the following are more likely to join voluntary associations? a. Catholics b. Protestants c. Jews d. Those who are religiously unaffiliated e. Both A and C
b
Which of the following statements is incorrect? a. No state may restrict voting based on discriminatory tests, taxes, or residency requirements. b. People can register to vote when they apply for a driver's license in half of the states. c. Most states allow absentee ballot voting prior to Election Day. d. Some states allow people to register on the same day that they vote. e. None of the above.
b
Compared with voters in the United States, most European voters have the opportunity to cast ballots a. more frequently, for as many offices. b. less frequently, for as many offices. c. less frequently, for fewer offices. d. more frequently, for fewer offices. e. more frequently, for more offices.
c
Efforts to reform voting in the aftermath of the Florida vote-count controversy of 2000 might find particular fault with Congress because it a. did not require states to develop systems for counting disputed votes. b. did not provide funds for upgrading voting equipment. c. stopped short of creating a uniform national voting system. d. did not provide funds for training election officials. e. did not investigate names that were not on official registration lists.
c
Which amendment states that "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude"? a. Twelfth Amendment b. Seventeenth Amendment c. Fifteenth Amendment d. Twenty-fifth Amendment e. None of the above
c
Compared with the rest of the population, voting specialists tend to be a. younger and more educated. b. younger and less educated. c. older and more educated. d. older and less educated. e. middle-aged and highly educated.
d
In 1842, a federal law required that all House members be elected by a. popular vote. b. state legislators. c. congressional delegations. d. districts. e. at-large elections.
d
In 1993, Congress attempted to facilitate voter registration by linking it to processes related to a. health insurance. b. home mortgages. c. student loans. d. driver's licenses. e. car loans.
d
In the late 1800s, voter turnout in a typical presidential election might be as high as a. 55 percent. b. 60 percent. c. 65 percent. d. 70 percent. e. 90 percent.
d
The text suggests that calls for reform in voting were somewhat muted in the aftermath of the 2004 national elections because a. there was no evidence of vote fraud. b. George W. Bush won. c. the Democrats retained control of Congress. d. the Supreme Court would not entertain litigation on the topic. e. the popular vote for president was not close.
e
The text suggests there has been little decrease, and some increase, in the percentage of Americans who a. campaign. b. contact government officials. c. volunteer. d. work on community issues. e. do all of the above.
e
The willingness to engage in partisan competition separates which two of the participation groups described by Verba and Nie? a. Campaigners from complete activists b. Inactives from campaigners c. Parochial participants from communalists d. Inactives from parochial participants e. Communalists from campaigners
e
A 2002 act of Congress created a uniform national voting system. true or not
false
Communalists are like campaigners, but with a keener interest in the tension and conflict of campaigns. true or false
false
Inactives and complete activists each constitute about 15 percent of the U.S. population. true or false
false
Initially, the U.S. Constitution, not the states, decided who could vote and for what offices. true or not
false
One view of voter turnout suggests that both of the major parties became more liberal after the elections of 1896. true or not
false
The Fifteenth Amendment conferred the right to vote on any U.S. citizen. true or not
false
Every presidential election year since 1972 has been accompanied by predictions that the "youth vote" is likely to surge. true or false
true
Every state allows voters to cast ballots prior to Election Day via the mail. true or not
true
For Americans, voting is the most common form of political participation. true or not
true
In many European nations, voters get to vote just once every four or five years. true or not
true
In the 1800s, Chinese Americans were widely denied the right to vote. true or not
true
In the nineteenth century, political parties printed voting ballots. true or not
true
Latinos represented about 9 percent of voters participating in the 2008 presidential election. true or not
true
Youth, low income, and minority status are associated with which of the following participation groups? a. Inactives b. Parochial participants c. Communalists d. Campaigners e. Voting specialists
a
It has long been argued that universal voter turnout would strongly benefit a. third party candidates. b. Republican candidates. c. Democratic candidates. d. Libertarian candidates. e. Conservative candidates.
c
One way that whites prevented blacks from voting prior to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was by requiring them to a. meet qualifications found in Article III of the Constitution. b. register six months in advance of an election. c. become U.S. citizens. d. memorize the Bill of Rights. e. pass a literacy test.
c
Suffrage was extended to include virtually all white males by the administration of a. John Adams. b. Thomas Jefferson. c. Andrew Jackson. d. James Monroe. e. James Madison.
c
The first elections in which all persons between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one were able to vote were held in a. 1944. b. 1956. c. 1972. d. 1984. e. 1985.
c
When Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1970 and lowered the voting age to eighteen, a. the president vetoed the act. b. the Fourteenth Amendment was overturned. c. the Supreme Court declared the adjustment unconstitutional. d. thirty-five state governors protested the change. e. the number of eligible voters instantly doubled.
c
Which of the following statements about U.S. voter participation in presidential elections is correct? a. It increased sharply after women, blacks, and youths were given the right to vote. b. It has remained steady since at least the mid-nineteenth century. c. It has declined since the latter part of the nineteenth century. d. It rose steadily throughout the first half of the twentieth century but has recently declined. e. It has risen steadily since the campaign of Ross Perot.
c
One explanation given by the text for the decline in U.S. voter participation in presidential elections after 1900 is that a. parties began functioning to mobilize mass voter turnout. b. fewer citizens were directly affected by the outcome of presidential elections. c. other forms of political participation became more accessible to citizens. d. election fraud was rampant during the nineteenth century. e. the Republican Party began to attempt to mobilize individuals who were least likely to vote.
d
One unusual, but possible, explanation suggested by the text for the low rate of voter registration in the United States is that a. participation in government is denied to so many people. b. many local governments do not require voters to register. c. the media discourage voter registration. d. people are happy with the way government is working. e. voters cannot actually find the places where they are supposed to vote.
d
Those who see the decline of voter turnout as a function of party organization change believe all of the following except that a. parties originally aimed to increase mass political participation. b. parties used caucuses and conventions and fought against legal barriers to voting to increase participation. c. the nation was split by region in the late 1890s, and two-party competition decreased in many places. d. both parties became more liberal. e. citizens lost interest in politics because the parties did not respond to their needs.
d
Which of the following participation groups avoids both elections and community groups in its political activity? a. Voting specialists b. Campaigners c. Communalists d. Parochial participants e. Inactives
d
Which of the following statements regarding turnout of the youth vote (those under thirty) in 2008 is correct? a. It was the highest in any election since 1972. b. It was the lowest in any election since 1972. c. It increased for the third consecutive election and is fairly high. d. It increased for the third consecutive election but remains fairly low. e. It remained about the same as it has over the last three elections.
d
A 2008 study found get-out-the-vote drives have demonstrated statistically significant results when they involved a. door-to-door canvassing b. leaflets and election day festivals c. direct mail d. phone calls e. both A and D.
e
During the nineteenth century, voting ballots were printed by a. the government. b. Congress. c. the courts. d. state legislatures. e. political parties.
e
Until 1920, women were generally kept from voting by a. intimidation. b. social custom. c. their own choice. d. tradition. e. law.
e
VEP measures of turnout might be preferable to VAP measures because they a. usually render a lower, more conservative, estimate. b. round fractions up to the nearest tenth. c. are derived from representative samples in telephone interviews. d. are based on census data. e. remove ineligible voters from the equation.
e
When those below the age of 21 were first allowed to vote in presidential elections, they a. flocked to the Republican candidates. b. flocked to the Democratic candidates. c. almost uniformly voted for Independent candidates. d. generally voted for Richard Nixon. e. did not flock to any particular party or candidate.
e
Which of the following statements regarding the Australian ballot is incorrect? a. It is printed by the government. b. It appeared first in the states. c. It appeared in the late 1800s. d. It is cast in secret. e. It eliminated vote fraud.
e
Which of the following was required by the U.S. Constitution? a. Adult free male suffrage b. Popularly elected presidential electors c. Nonpartisan election commissions d. Popularly elected senators e. Popularly elected House members
e
With respect to impact of motor voter laws, the evidence suggests a. the number of registrants has not increased. b. the number of registrants has increased somewhat. c. vote turnout has increased significantly. d. vote turnout has not increased significantly. e. both B and D.
e
Blacks did not begin to vote in large numbers until passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. true or not
true
Conventional wisdom suggests that if those who did not vote voted, the Democrats would benefit the most. true or not
true
Other and perhaps more significant measures of political participation exist besides voter turnout. true or not
true
Parochial participants contact local officials about specific, often personal problems. true or not
true
People who are college educated tend to have higher rates of political participation. true or not
true
Poll taxes and literacy tests were methods used to keep blacks from voting. true or not
true
