Chapter 5 Inquizitive Texas Government
Women in Texas obtained the right to vote in primaries and party conventions in - and obtained the right to vote in national elections in -.
1918,1920
Although the poll tax was made illegal in federal elections in - by the passage of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, it remained legal in state elections in Texas until -, when it was ruled unconstitutional.
1964, 1966
Examine the table below, and determine which of the following statements are accurate based on the data presented.
Correct answers: - The more dollars are contributed, the more votes are won - The Republican land commissioner received the highest percentage of votes among all candidates listed - Democrats have consistently lost by roughly the same percentage of votes in every office Incorrect answers: - The Democratic candidate for agriculture commissioner raised slightly more than his Republican opponent
Which of the following are the most likely causes for low voter turnout in Texas elections?
Correct Answer(s) Texas holds its elections during nonpresidential election years. There are so many candidates for office that voters are simply overloaded with elections and candidates. Incorrect Answer(s) The Texas government makes every effort to enhance voter knowledge of candidates. Voters tend to be overwhelmed with information about their candidates.
Watch the animation on ethnicity and voter turnout in Texas and determine which of the following statements are accurate.
Correct Answer(s) Texas is a majority-minority state in which more Texans have a non-Anglo background. Incorrect Answer(s) Latinos are the largest bloc of voters in Texas. Texas is a majority-minority state, and non-Anglo Texans now have higher rates of voter turnout than white Texans.
Which of the following do opponents of voter ID laws in Texas argue?
Correct Answer(s) Voter ID laws address a problem that does not exist. Voter ID laws minimize Democratic turnout in order to help state Republicans. Voter ID laws do not preserve the integrity of the electoral system. Incorrect Answer(s) Voter ID laws have little public support.
Texas voters use elections to do which of the following?
Correct Answer(s) authorize government borrowing select leaders authorize action by the government Incorrect Answer(s) declare war
Which of the following factors may contribute to low voting participation rates in Texas?
Correct Answer(s) education income low levels of knowledge about political candidates Incorrect Answer(s) high levels of competition between parties
What are some of the characteristics of primary elections in Texas?
Correct Answer(s) first elections held in an electoral cycle held on the second Tuesday in March of an election year Incorrect Answer(s) held in odd-numbered years funded solely by the state
Which of the following laws and voter requirements were used to discriminate against minorities who wanted to vote?
Correct Answer(s) poll taxes white primaries early registration Incorrect Answer(s) the Nineteenth Amendment
In Texas, the candidates themselves have major responsibility for which of the following?
Correct Answer(s) raising money campaign strategy running their campaigns Incorrect Answer(s) organizing phone banks
Which of the following are the most likely reasons for low voter turnout in Texas?
Correct Answer(s) the voter identification law too many low-visibility offices too many elections and too many candidates Incorrect Answer(s) holding elections for Texas state office during presidential election years
What are some of the qualifications for registering to vote in Texas?
Correct answers: - 18 years of age - U.S. citizenship - resident of Texas for 30 days Incorrect answers: - resident of the county for 60 days (this is wrong because you only need to be a resident of the county for 30 days) - a permanent resident of the country (this is wrong because a voter must be a citizen of the U.S., not just a permanent resident)
Study the chart below, and determine which of the following statements are accurate.
Correct answers: - More voters participate in Republican primaries than in Democratic primaries - Presidential general election turnout is higher than either party's presidential primary election turnout Incorrect answers: - Special elections yield higher turnouts than do midterm elections - More Texans turned out for the 2016 Democratic presidential primary than for the 2016 Republican presidential primary
Study the table below, and determine which statements are supported by the data.
Correct answers: - Texas Republican gubernatorial candidates have an overwhelming advantage in fundraising - Democratic candidates running for judicial office are more competitive than Democrats running for other offices Incorrect answers: - Third parties appear to have significant support in Texas
Examine the chart, and determine which of the following statements are accurate. Who votes in Texas statewide elections?
Correct answers: - White voter turnout is similar to African American voter turnout - Texas total voter turnout is similar to white total voter turnout Incorrect answers: - Latino voter turnout is about to equal Texas total voter turnout - Asian American voter turnout is slightly higher than Latino voter turnout
Which of the following do supporters of voter ID laws in Texas argue?
Correct answers: Penalties are necessary to deter any attempts to commit fraud. Voter ID laws are necessary to ensure that Texas elections are free from fraud. There is public support for voter ID laws. Incorrect answers: Student IDs will be accepted; hence, there is little burden on potential voters
What are the requirements for an independent candidate to get on the ballot in Texas?
Correct answers: Signatures must equal one percent of the total votes in the last governor's race. Signatures on a petition must be obtained from registered voters.
What are the requirements for an independent candidate to get on the ballot in Texas?
Correct: Signatures must equal one percent of the total votes in the last governor's race. Signatures on a petition must be obtained from registered voters. Incorrect: Voters may sign more than one candidate's petition. Signatures can come from registered voters who participated in either the Democratic or Republican Party's primary election.
Prohibited by federal courts in 1971, which voting requirement was most targeted at preventing migrant workers from voting?
Early registration
Incumbents don't have the advantage in most races and often lose to challengers.
False
Political participation is just about voting.
False
Which provision under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 required any changes to election procedures or district lines to be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice?
Preclearance
Match the following voting laws and procedures to their correct definitions.
Reapportionment: - the process of determining how many congressional seats each state will receive Early voting: - allows voters to cast ballots during the two-week period before the regularly scheduled election date Redistricting: - the process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representatives Motor voter law: - a national act that allows people to register to vote when applying for a driver's license
In which case did the U.S. Supreme Court rule that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is no longer applicable to Texas?
Shelby County v. Holder
Which type of election is required if a local school district wants to borrow money to build a new high school or repair elementary schools?
Special election
What is the greatest expense for most campaigns?
media ads
A - is the first election held in an electoral cycle. If no candidate receives an absolute majority of the votes, the two candidates who received the most votes face each other in a - to determine the party's nominee.
primary, runoff primary
The Supreme Court case Smith v. Allwright ended which election practice?
The white primary
In which type of election does the Democratic Party's nominee run against the nominee from the Republican Party to win an office?
general election
What were the most salient issues in the 2014 Texas elections?
immigration policy gun rights tax policy
Primary elections in which only registered members of a particular party can vote for the party's candidates are called -. In contrast, primary elections in which any registered voter can cast a vote for either party's candidate (but not for both) are called -.
closed primaries, open primaries
Political campaigns are efforts of candidates to win support of the voters: true or false
True
The two major political parties don't agree on much, but they do agree on keeping third-party competitors out.
True
Watch the animation on how Texas voted in the 2016 presidential election and determine which of the following statements are accurate.
Correct Answer(s) Clinton won a higher proportion of voters who identify as African American, Latino, or Asian than Donald Trump. Incorrect Answer(s) The Republican candidate, Donald Trump, beat the Democratic candidate, Hilary Clinton, by the largest margin of victory for a Republican yet. Compared with the overall national vote, there are fewer racial divisions among support for either party in Texas.
Which of the following factors likely explain greater Latino support for government intervention in public education?
Correct Answer(s) Latinos view educational attainment as a key to the American Dream. Latinos have lower levels of education and income than do other groups in Texas. Latinos in Texas have higher dropout rates than do other groups in Texas. Incorrect Answer(s) Latinos strongly oppose undocumented students becoming citizens.
Study the table below, and determine which statements are supported by the data.
Correct Answer(s) Texas Republican gubernatorial candidates have an overwhelming advantage in fundraising. Democratic candidates running for judicial office are more competitive than Democrats running for other offices. Incorrect Answer(s) Third parties appear to have significant support in Texas.
An open primary allows any registered voter to cast a ballot in either party's primary, but not in both.
True
Major state officials are elected in nonpresidential election years to prevent presidential candidates from influencing the outcomes of Texas races.
True
Major, large city newspaper endorsements often carry important weight, especially in down ballot races for local offices.
True
One way to reform redistricting is to take the process away from the legislature.
True
A career path for Texas officeholders usually begins with which step?
a run for local office
