Texas Government

Approximately how long did one-party Democratic rule last in Texas?

100 years

In the Texas legislature, the House has ________ members and the Senate has ________ members.

150;31

Political culture is static and does not change.

False

A system of government in which power is divided between a central government and regional governments is known as

Federalism

The Constitution of 1869 created

Gave strong power to the Governor

The agenda for special sessions in the Texas legislature is set by the

Governer

The fundamental principles and positions supported by a political party are explained in the

Party Platform

The poll tax disenfranchised

Poor People

What event marked a significant change in how Texans began to vote not only in presidential elections but also in state elections?

Ronald Reagan was elected as President. Next

The ________ movement was a movement during the 1950s in which conservative Democrats in Texas supported Republican candidate Dwight Eisenhower for the presidency.

Shivercrat

In spite of judicial campaigns, voters often know little about judicial candidates. As a result, they vote

for the party label.

Which of the following are formal constitutional qualifications required to be governor of Texas?

have lived in Texas for five years immediately before the election

The Texas governor was very powerful, and many regarded state government as oppressive and corrupt, under which constitution?

The Reconstruction Constitution of 1869

Which movement has had the largest impact on Texas legislative races in recent years?

The Tea Party Movement

Which of the following requires state governments to spend their own money to meet standards imposed on them by the federal government?

Unfunded Mandates

What is the most basic and fundamental duty citizens have in a democracy?

Vote

In order to vote in Texas, you must meet which of the following requirements?

be a resident of Texas, a U.S. citizen, and at least 18 years of age

In criminal cases, the prosecutor must prove that the defendant is guilty.

beyond a reasonable doubt.

Executive power in Texas is

divided among multiple officials, each elected by the people, to ensure that no one person has too much power.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) focuses on

monitoring changes in electoral law that may suppress the votes of minorities.

Which of the following tends to lower voter turnout?

most elections are for low-visibility offices

Which type of districts are used in the Texas House and Senate?

multiple-member districts.

What type of primary allows a voter to choose on Election Day which party they will vote for?

open primary

Texas officially uses which method to select state judges?

partisan election

The process of ________ is what introduces individuals to the political culture and helps people develop their own political beliefs and values.

political socialization

In Texas, special elections are used to

ratify amendments to the Texas Constitution

Initially created to regulate the railroads, the focus of the Texas Railroad Commission later shifted to include

regulating oil and gas production.

According to the __________________, the U.S. Constitution takes precedence over the Texas Constitution.

supremacy clause

What stalled Texas's admission into the United States?

that Texas would be a proslavery state

Which court in Texas has automatic jurisdiction over all death penalty cases?

the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

In Texas, if a sitting governor is unable to hold office due to impeachment and conviction, resignation, or death, who becomes governor?

the lieutenant governor

The lieutenant governor is the only member of the plural executive, other than the governor,

to have both executive and legislative powers.

State constitutions are designed to perform which of the following functions?

to prevent abuse of power by the government by establishing and protecting civil liberties

If the governor does not think that a piece of legislation that has been passed by both the Texas House and Senate should become law, then he or she can _______________ the legislation.

veto

An indictment is also known as a

True Bill

When do Texans vote in general elections to elect members of Congress?

Tuesday following the first Monday in November of even-numbered years.

Senators and House members in Texas take office in______________ of odd-numbered years.

May

Conservative Democrats in Texas are also known as

Blue Dog Democrats

The understanding that the national government and state governments are both sovereign within their sphere of influence is called

Dual Federalism

What do some argue is the one advantage of a plural executive in Texas?

It constrains the power of executive officials and makes them more accountable to the public.

Which of the following is an accurate statement about the Tenth Amendment?

It does not clearly distinguish which powers belong to the states and which powers belong to the federal government.

Which city is located in the Great Plains region of Texas?

Lubbock

Who was the first female governor of Texas?

Miriam Ferguson

The U.S. Constitution created a system of government where both the federal and state governments are sovereign. This means that both the federal and state governments derive their power from

The people, through their state constitutions

In Texas, political parties help candidates by providing

Training for a Campaign

The Texas Constitution is

a long, complex, and detailed document

The chief lawyer for Texas is the

attorney general.

What types of cases does the Texas Supreme Court hear?

civil appeals

How often do political parties in Texas hold their state conventions?

every two years

According to the Texas Constitution, regular sessions of the Texas Legislature are held

for 140 days biennially, occurring in odd-numbered years.

Which of these individuals would be legally disqualified from voting?

individuals who have been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent

Although the Democratic Party dominated Texas politics for much of the twentieth century, by the 1950s it faced internal divisions between ________ and ________ Democrats.

liberal; conservative

The Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals have appellate jurisdiction, which means they have the authority to do what?

review the decisions of lower courts to determine whether legal principles and court procedures were followed correctly

What kind of electoral districts are used in Texas?

single-member districts

Veterans' courts, DWI courts, and drug courts are types of

specialty courts.

Political culture is a term used to describe

the broadly shared values and beliefs about the government.

County judges in Texas preside over

the county commissioners' court.

What is the Texas governor's most significant executive power?

the power of appointment

Suffrage refers to

the right to vote

What is the purpose of a grand jury?

to determine whether or not there is enough evidence to justify a trial