chapter 11

What is the most common form of political participation in the U.S.? a. Attending a political meeting b. Making financial donations to campaigns c. Working for a party or candidate d. Voting

voting

The Women's suffrage movement, which was resolved in 1920 by the Nineteenth Amendment, was about allowing women to ________. own property have careers vote obtain a divorce

vote, Suffrage means the right to vote (also called franchise).

The most common form of participating in political activism in a democracy is to ________. vote campaign for a candidate run for state office run for local office

vote, Voting is by far the most common form of participation.

efficacy

Extent to which people believe their actions can affect public affairs and the actions of government.

Which amendment set the voting age at 18? a. First b. Second c. Twenty-Sixth d. Nineteenth

. Twenty-Sixth

Seventeenth Amendment

1913 constitutional amendment allowing American voters to directly elect US senators ( instead of state legislatures )

In which presidential election year did African American voter turnout exceed that of white voters? 2000 2016 2008 2004

2008, In 2008, with the first African American on the presidential ballot, African American turnout exceeded that of whites for the first time in history.

Around what age does voter turnout peak in the United States? a. 25 b. 30 c. 45 d. 60

60

Of those eligible to vote, which age group is most likely to show up at the polling place? 18 to 24 25 to 44 45 to 64 65 and over

65 and over, People age 65 and older are the most likely to vote, and those between 18 and 24 are the least likely.

Voting laws prohibit felons from voting while they are incarcerated. In ten states, this prohibition continues even after they have served their sentences or been released from parole. In states such as Florida, Kentucky, and Virginia, this law mostly affects ________ Americans because they represent a disproportionate share of former prison inmates. Native African Asian Latino

African, In three states—Florida, Kentucky, and Virginia—more than 20 percent of African Americans of voting age have lost the right to vote. Barring felons from the polls injures minority groups because they make up a disproportionate share of former prison inmates.

Which Americans who are eligible to vote (and often do vote) are not included in the count of the voting-age population? Americans living abroad who use absentee ballots Americans in nursing homes who prefer mail-in ballots Permanent residents of the United States Americans between the ages of 18 and 21

Americans living abroad who use absentee ballots, The figure for the voting-age population does not include Americans living abroad, who can cast absentee ballots.

self-interest

Concern for one's own advantage and well-being.

civic interest

Concern for the well-being of society and the nation as a whole.

graveyard voting

Corrupt practice of using a dead person's name to cast a ballot in an election.

Which of the following has been shown to increase voter turnout? Early voting Voter ID requirements Absentee ballots Election Day registration

Election Day registration, Studies of early voting have generally found no effect on turnout. One recent study actually found that early voting can lower turnout, largely by reducing the publicity associated with Election Day. In contrast, Election Day registration can increase turnout by several percent. Voter registration drives play a big part in Election Day registration.

Grandfather Clause

Election rules that exempted people from difficult literacy and interpretation tests for voting if their grandfathers had been eligible to vote. They couldn´t vote if their grandfather had not been allowed to vote.

white primary

Election rules that prohibited blacks from voting in Democratic primaries.

voter registration

Enrollment required prior to voting to establish eligibility.

In an election year when there is an issue that has a lot of support and interest from members of one party, the members of the other party are likely to have higher voter turnout in order to defeat that issue. True False

False, Depending on the issues at stake in a particular election year, political ideology may have a large impact on turnout. Either Republicans or Democrats may be discouraged from voting in a year that looks especially good for the other party.

Local elections are more likely to have higher voter turnout, as local government has a greater and more direct influence on people's lives than state or federal government True False

False, It would seem that people should be more likely to vote in elections that involve issues that directly affect them. At the local level, each person's vote counts more (because there are fewer voters). Furthermore, the issues—the police, school bonds, property taxes, sewer bonds, and the like—touch the immediate interests of the voters. In reality, however, potential voters are most interested in national elections when a presidential choice is involved.

Voter registration drives are most common in well-to-do neighborhoods with many highly educated retirees, as this demographic is most likely to vote. True False

False, Registration drives are particularly common on college campuses and in low-income neighborhoods, where large numbers of unregistered voters may be found.

African Americans and Hispanics traditionally have not turned out to vote at the same rate as non-Hispanic whites. Even when such factors as socioeconomic status, age, citizenship, and loss of the right to vote due to a felony conviction are taken into account, the difference is very great. True False

False, Although African Americans and Hispanics traditionally have not turned out to vote at the same rate as non-Hispanic whites, the difference in turnout due to minority status largely disappears when factors such as socioeconomic status, age, citizenship, and loss of the right to vote due to a felony conviction are considered.

Frankie is a 70-year-old white woman with a graduate degree in economics. Since she retired, she has been tutoring Julio, a 19-year-old Latino young man who is hoping to earn a GED. Based on previous voting patterns, which one is more likely to vote in the upcoming presidential election? Julio, because he is between 18 and 24 Frankie, because she is a tutor Julio, because he is Latino Frankie, because she is white and over 65

Frankie, because she is white and over 65, Historically, white people are more likely to vote than members of minority groups, people age 65 and older are more likely to vote than younger people, and women are more likely to vote than men.

Franco believes that equality and citizen participation are important political values. He believes that the more people are allowed to vote, the better the government can respond to people's interests. Franco believes in which model of voting? a. Hamiltonian model b. Psychological model c. Economic model d. Jeffersonian model

Jeffersonian model

According to ________ principles, the more people who vote, the more involved and engaged they will be, thus producing better outcomes. Hamiltonian Clintonian Jeffersonian Washingtonian

Jeffersonian, The Jeffersonian model holds that more participation yields a more involved and engaged public and that, in turn, produces better outcomes.

voter apathy

Lack of interest in voting and in politics generally.

Jim Crow Laws

Laws designed to enforce segregation of blacks from whites

vote-by-mail (VBM) system

Method of voting in an election whereby ballots are distributed to voters by mail, and voters complete and return the ballots by mail.

Institutional Model

Model of voting that focuses on the context of the election, including whether it is close and whether the rules encourage or discourage participation.

Sunflower is a 23-year-old high school dropout living in Seattle, Washington. Based on statistics from previous elections, is Sunflower likely to vote in the upcoming midterm election for state representative? Yes, young people are the most likely to vote in state elections. No, young people on the West Coast are only interested in local politics, not politics at the state level. No, age, education level, and type of election make her unlikely to vote. Yes, coffee drinkers, for which Seattle is known, tend to vote more frequently than tea drinkers.

No, age, education level, and type of election make her unlikely to vote., People with less than a high school diploma and people between ages 18-24 are statistically less likely to vote. Lower turnout is usual for midterm election for state legislatures.

________ is the process by which people acquire political beliefs and values. Consensus Political socialization Political learning Agenda setting

Political socialization, People acquire their political beliefs and values, often including their political party identification, through political socialization, that is, through their relationships with families, friends, and coworkers.

same-day voter registration

Practice allows voters to register and cast a vote on the same day.

compulsory voting

Practice that forces citizens to vote in elections or face punitive measures such as community service, fines, or imprisonment.

Which election is most likely to attract a high voter turnout? Mayoral election Presidential election Midterm congressional election City council election

Presidential election, Presidential elections result in a much higher percentage of voters going to the polls than do midterm elections for national or state seats, or local elections.

Leroy grew up in a household with parents who voted in every election, national and local. Now as an adult, Leroy votes similarly, and when people ask him about his loyalty to the process, he simply tells them, "It is my duty to vote." Which model of voting does Leroy exemplify? a. Genetic b. Institutional c. Economic d. Psychological

Psychological

suffrage

Right to vote; also called franchise.

franchise

Right to vote; also called suffrage.

turnout

Share of all eligible voters who actually cast ballots.

Check My Work Ironically, which state elected Joseph Rainey, the first African American member of the House of Representatives? a. South Carolina b. West Virginia c. North Carolina d. Virginia

South Carolina

poll taxes

Tax on voting; prohibited by the Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1964).

literacy tests

Tests requiring reading and interpretation skills in order to vote.

Twenty-Third Amendment

The 1961 constitutional amendment permitting residents of Washington, D.C., to vote in presidential elections.

Fifteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment adopted in 1870 to extend suffrage to African Americans.

Twenty-fourth Amendment

The constitutional amendment passed in 1964 that declared poll taxes void in federal elections.

According to the original writers of the Constitution, who decided which people were allowed to vote? The states Local governments Department of Voter Regulation The Constitutional Convention

The states, The writers of the Constitution allowed the states to decide who should vote. Thus, women were allowed to vote in Wyoming in 1870 but not in the entire nation until the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in 1920.

What is the purpose of mail-in ballots in elections? To decrease voter fraud To increase the number of people who vote To increase voting among the elderly To get around restrictive voter ID laws

To increase the number of people who vote, The rationale for using the mail ballot is to make voting easier for the voters and increase turnout.

What was the purpose of instituting voting laws such as poll taxes and literacy tests in the southern states? To prevent voter fraud To prevent inefficiency in government by too much participation To ensure that only qualified people cast votes To prevent African Americans from voting

To prevent African Americans from voting, Poll taxes were a means of discouraging blacks from voting. In the 1890s, an individual had to pay $1 in Mississippi and $2 in South Carolina to vote, an amount that may seem small today but was equivalent to $86 or more in today's dollars. For most blacks, almost all poor farmers, this tax made voting impossible

Which of the following nonvoting measures of participation did the most Americans engage in during the 2012 election year? Put a bumper sticker on their vehicle Tried to influence others' votes Attended a political meeting Gave money to a campaign

Tried to influence others' votes, The nonvoting measure with the most participation in the 2012 election year was trying to influence others' votes.

More than 100 million email messages are sent to members of Congress every year. Americans are finding that it is easier and cheaper than traditional letters. True False

True, It is easier and cheaper to send an email message to a member of Congress than to write a letter, and Americans do so with increasing frequency. Recent estimates put the figures at well over 100 million, demonstrating that the use of email to contact members of Congress has exploded over the past decade, underscoring the ease and convenience of email and transforming the way voters communicate with politicians.

Only a small percentage of Americans have ever participated in a protest. True False

True, In general, very few Americans participate in protests. Overall, only about 10 percent of Americans claim to have ever participated in a protest.

voting-age population (VAP)

Used to calculate the rate of participation by dividing the number of voters by the number of people in the country who are 18 and over.

voting-eligible population (VEP)

Used to calculate the rate of participation by dividing the number of voters by the number of people in the country who are eligible to vote rather than just of voting age.

Jeffersonian model of participation

View of participation that suggests that more is better. That is, as people get involved more they learn more about politics and want to get even more involved.

hamilton model of participation

View of participation that suggests that too much participation is a bad thing and that many people are not well-enough informed to cast votes. worried that too much participation yields too many demands on government, making government less able to respond.

Elite theory holds that society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self-interests. What can the average American citizen do to be more likely to be included as a member of such an elite? Focus on becoming wealthy. Vote in every election they can: local, state, and national. Run for an open Senate seat in their district. Obtain an advanced degree in economics or political theory.

Vote in every election they can: local, state, and national. People who vote increase the amount of attention that politicians pay to people like them, regardless of wealth or social status. When Congress, state legislatures, or city councils consider new laws and regulations, these bodies typically give more weight to the interests of groups that are more likely to vote. Each vote increases the chances of legislation that benefits the voters or that meets with their approval.

________ were instituted in the late nineteenth century in response to corrupt practices such as graveyard voting and ballot box stuffing. Voter registration laws Poll taxes Literacy tests Vote-by-mail systems

Voter registration laws , In response to corrupt voting excesses, progressives called for voter registration so that voters would have to preregister with a government official to be placed on an official list of voters. The list would be updated when someone died, and it would be used at the polls on Election Day to ensure that a potential voter had the right to vote and had not already voted. This reform spread rapidly.

voting-age population

Voting-age population is the term used for the number of people of voting age living in the country at a given time, regardless of whether they have the right to vote.

civic duty

a belief that one has an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs

Which historical protest involved the dumping of tea in opposition to the British government-backed monopoly? a. Boston Tea Party b. Tea Party Rally c. Watts Riots d. Shays's Rebellion

a. Boston Tea Party

Which political movement began with protests against the nearly $800 billion stimulus package, which Congress passed in 2009 in the hopes of ending the financial crisis that began in 2008? a. Tea Party b. March for Our Lives c. Civil Rights d. Women's Rights

a. Tea Party

Which statement describes the relationship between income and voting? a. The higher one's income, the more likely one is to vote. b. Those who represent the annual median family income in the U.S. are most likely to vote. c. Those with a high income and those with a low income are equally likely to vote. d. The lower one's income, the more likely one is to vote.

a. The higher one's income, the more likely one is to vote.

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1971, granted voting rights to citizens who were ________. age 18 or older naturalized citizens African American female

age 18 or older, The Twenty-Sixth Amendment to the Constitution, ratified on July 1, 1971, reads as follows: "The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age."

When the United States was first founded, some adult citizens were not allowed to vote. By 1860, the right to vote had been extended to ________. all those over 21 who were not felons black men and white women black and white men all white males

all white males, By 1860, universal white male suffrage had been achieved.

The National Voter Registration Act requires states to a. allow voters to register when they apply for or renew their driver's licenses. b. register all eligible voters, though the states can define "eligible." c. remove ineligible voters from their rolls. d. allow absentee ballots so voters can vote by mail.

allow voters to register when they apply for or renew their driver's licenses.

consensus

general agreement among various groups on fundamental matters; broad agreement on public questions

In which model do citizens consider the costs and benefits of voting—i.e., when the benefits exceed the costs, they turn out to vote? a. Genetic b. Economic c. Psychological d. Institutional

b. Economic

Which Supreme Court case outlawed the practice of the white primary? a. California Democratic Party v. Jones b. Smith v. Allwright c. Griswold v. Connecticut d. Marbury v. Madison

b. Smith v. Allwright

Which statement accurately describes the aim of the Constitution and the states in regard to elections? a. The Constitution divides the responsibility for holding elections equally between the federal government and the states b. The Constitution is silent on the rules about voting in elections, leaving such choices to states. c. The Constitution is specific about the dominant role of the federal government in holding elections, and the states play a limited role. d. The Constitution includes guidelines for all state and national elections, and it requires the national government to establish eligibility requirements for the states.

b. The Constitution is silent on the rules about voting in elections, leaving such choices to states.

In recent years, what has been the most common nonvoting form of political participation in the United States? a. Working for a party or candidate b. Trying to influence others' votes c. Attending political meetings d. Giving money to campaigns

b. Trying to influence others' votes

Daria has recently moved to Eugene, Oregon. When she gets her new driver's license, she will also ________, unless she chooses to opt out. receive voter registration materials be asked to register for a political party receive a "party strip" ballot for the next election be registered to vote

be registered to vote, In 2015, Oregon passed a new law under which any citizen who obtains an Oregon driver's license is automatically registered to vote. Anyone who does not want to be registered can opt out, but doing so requires an explicit act by the nonvoter.

Check My Work In which type of voting system (like Australia's) are citizens required by law to vote? a. Preferential voting b. Proxy voting c. Compulsory voting d. Plurality voting

c. Compulsory voting

In which model of voting is the voting process shaped by the rules of the system, political party behavior, the ways candidates run their campaigns, and the context of the election? a. Economic b. Psychological c. Institutional d. Genetic

c. Institutional

Which women's suffrage advocate was arrested after her attempt to vote in 1872? a. Victoria Claflin Woodhull b. Eleanor Roosevelt c. Susan B. Anthony d. Elizabeth Cady Stanton

c. Susan B. Anthony

Why has Oregon recently had such a high rate of voting (i.e., 70 percent in 2008 and 68 percent in 2016)? a. Extended voting hours b. Early voting c. Voting by mail d. Internet ballots

c. Voting by mail

A trend in which older voters who die are replaced in the electorate by less reliable young voters is known as a. graveyard voting. b. the voting-eligible population. c. generational replacement. d. the grandfather clause.

c. generational replacement.

generational replacement

cycle whereby younger generations replace older generations in the electorate

Nearly three-fourths of which group of people vote in elections? a. Latinos b. The 1 percent c. Grade-school educated d. College-educated

d. College-educated

Which form of political participation continues to rise dramatically, especially in the last decade? a. Working for a political candidate b. Recruiting for a political party c. Attending political meetings d. Communicating directly with members of Congress

d. Communicating directly with members of Congress

Which amendment extended voting rights to African American males? a. Eleventh b. Twelfth c. Nineteenth d. Fifteenth

d. Fifteenth

The voting-age population measure has been in error because it has not considered increases in the number of immigrants and convicted felons who are ineligible to vote. What new measure corrects for these trends? a. Adjusted voter b. Available voter c. Legal voter d. Voting-eligible population

d. Voting-eligible population

About 70 percent of Americans said that they ________ at least a few times a month. vote donate to a campaign watch the news discuss politics

discuss politics, According to a survey done in 2014, about 70 percent of Americans indicate that they discuss politics at least a few times a month.

One of the most influential methods of participating in political decision-making is to ________ to support candidates who are likely to agree with your views. donate money organize a campaign rally attend a protest rally send an email message

donate money, Those who are critical of the role of money in our elections argue that no one would give such large sums unless they expect to benefit in return. Candidates are perfectly well aware of who their largest contributors are.

rational voting

economic model of voting wherein citizens weigh the benefits of voting against the costs in order to take the most personally beneficial course of action

Sandy votes every chance she gets because she believes that her vote counts and makes a difference. This attitude is called ________. efficacy rationalist civic duty civic interest

efficacy, Political scientists call this attitude efficacy—the belief that one's involvement influences the course of government.

Bad weather is more likely to discourage well-to-do Republican voters who are more used to being comfortable than less well-to-do voters, giving weather a potential partisan bias. True False

false, Research shows that bad weather benefits Republicans slightly by discouraging less well-off voters from participating, giving weather a potential partisan bias.

Minh feels strongly about some of the issues in the upcoming election. To be sure that people who think the same way she does show up at the polls, she decides to volunteer for a(n) ________, which have been shown to be very effective. institutional model town meeting-style debate voter ID checking drive get-out-the-vote drive

get-out-the-vote drive, Get-out-the-vote drives seem to pay big dividends, especially at the local level. For example, direct personal contact, such as going door to door, may increase the rate of voting by 7 to 10 percentage points in local elections.

Nineteenth Amendment

granted women the right to vote in 1920

How does the average rate of voter turnout in the U.S. compare to that of other democracies? a. It is about the same. b. It is slightly higher. c. It is lower. d. It is much higher.

it is lower

To assess their educational skills, potential voters in 1960s Alabama were required to answer questions like these: Whose duty is it to keep Congress informed of the state of the union? In which document or writing is the "Bill of Rights" found? How many states were required to approve the original Constitution in order for it to be in effect? In what type of assessment are these potential votes participating? a. Jim Crow laws b. Grandfather clauses c. White primaries d. Literacy tests

literacy tests

Twenty-sixth Amendment (1971)

lowered the voting age to 18

Between 2008 and 2016, twenty-one states enacted new laws that ________, although in some states these laws were overturned by the courts or repealed by voters. required the use of party strip ballots replaced absentee voting with mail-in voting compelled voter registration made it more difficult to vote

made it more difficult to vote, In the years since 2008, dozens of states have moved to tighten voter ID requirements. Republicans provided almost all of the support for the new ID laws. By 2016, twenty-one states had enacted new laws that made it more difficult to vote. Cumbersome voter ID rules were the most common, but other new laws limited early voting or absentee ballots. In some states, however, state or federal courts overturned some of the new laws. In a few states, these laws were repealed by the voters.

Starting with the Boston Tea Party right up to the present day, political ________ has been an important way to express opinions and bring about change. legislation campaigning canvassing protest

protest, Political protests are an important means of expressing opinions and bringing about change. Throughout American history, abolitionists seeking an end to slavery, women seeking the vote, working people seeking the right to strike and organize unions, civil rights activists calling for an end to segregation and discrimination, antiwar activists seeking to end the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, and many others have called attention to their causes though marches, street demonstrations, petitions, and advertising campaigns.

The introduction of ________ meant that voters faced less intimidation, but voting also became more complicated. open ballots poll watchers secret ballots voter registration

secret ballots, The introduction of the secret ballot meant that voters faced less intimidation, but voting also became more complicated. Voters now could choose candidates for each office separately; they no longer had automatic access to party-line voting as they did with the strip ballot. With a more complicated process, once again turnout declined. Despite decreasing turnout, the secret ballot has become a cornerstone of American democracy.

The term public opinion is best defined as ________. general agreement among the citizenry on an issue the opinions politicians express publicly, which may be very different from their private opinions the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion of the adult population the opinions of the most vocal members of the populace

the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion of the adult population, Public opinion is the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs shared by some portion of the adult population.

People are more likely to vote if they believe ________. their side will win they passed the literacy test a single vote does not matter their side is in danger of losing

their side will win, Either Republicans or Democrats may be discouraged from voting in a year that looks especially good for the other party.

Voter turnout in recent presidential elections among those with high incomes was ________ those with the lowest income. about the same as nearly as high as three times higher than four times lower than

three times higher than, In recent presidential elections, voter turnout for those with the highest annual family incomes has approached three times the turnout of those with the lowest annual family incomes.

People who vote are more likely to encounter legislation that benefits them or that meets with their approval. True False

true, When Congress, state legislatures, or city councils consider new laws and regulations, these bodies typically give more weight to the interests of groups that are more likely to vote. Each vote adds, to a small degree, to the voter turnout for the constituency. It therefore increases the chances of legislation that benefits the voter or that meets with their approval.

The term ________ refers to how many people of voting age are living in the country at a particular time. vote-eligible population qualified voters voting-age population voter registration roll

voting-age population, Voting-age population is the term used for the number of people of voting age living in the country at a given time, regardless of whether they have the right to vote

In George Washington's time, voting was restricted to ________. white men who owned enough property white men and free black men white men and women, but not black men and women all white men over the age of 18

white men who owned enough property, In Washington's time, eligibility to vote was largely limited to white males who owned a certain amount of property or paid a certain amount of taxes. Slaves could not vote, and free black males often did not have the right to vote.

An election that people think ________ is more likely to have a higher than usual turnout on both sides. affects them directly will be close will go against their candidate they are registered to vote in

will be close, The competitiveness of an election influences motivation. Elections that look to be close draw voters' interest and attention, especially if they think their votes might influence the outcome. A close race is exciting and people like to be part of it, further believing that their votes really do count. When it looks as though one candidate or the other is certain to win, voters are more likely to stay home, thinking the issue is already decided.