Exam 2 State and local politics

What ideologically most influences voters decisions in district elections?

Party affiliation

Who is the governor of Maine?

Paul LePage

As with presidential power, gubernatorial power is largely the power to

Persuade

In civil cases, the party that feels it has been injured is known as the....

Plaintiff

Most trials are known as "bench trials," which means that.....

a single judge runs the trial and makes the final decision

The overall percentage of women in state legislatures

nationally, today, is roughly 25 percent

To prevent executive agencies from straying too far from legislative intent, a legislature can.....

pass specific and detailed legislation

States have regulated judicial elections much more heavily than they have legislative or gubernatorial races in order to...

prevent conflicts of interest developing between judges and campaign donors

The "one person, one vote" principle and the policies that ensued resulted in a shift in power from the......

rural areas of the states to the urban and suburban areas

The Florida 2012 Supreme Court merit retention judicial elections revealed that......

some nonpartisan merit retention elections have become quite partisan

A quorum is........

the minimum number of legislative members needed to conduct official business

Which committee is convened in order to craft a bill that can pass both chambers?

Conference (committee)

A police officer deciding whether to give you a warning or a ticket for speeding is an example of.....

Street-Level Bureaucracy

The most important appointment powers given to the governor tend to be.....

Executive branch appointments

What is the mobilization hypothesis?

Strong link between platform and action

The ability of a governor to veto a single expenditure item while allowing the remainder of a spending bill to pass into law is called the....

Line-item veto

How often do incumbent state legislators win the vote?

93 percent

What 3 types of discretionary cases do state supreme courts select?

1) Conflicting decisions of lower courts 2) Questioning related to ambiguous statutes and provisions 3) Legal questions that involve broad implications for public policy

What 4 things do governors do?

1) Manage the bureaucracy 2) Set public policy 3) Manage intergovernmental relations 4) Crisis Management

What are state legislatures 4 theoretical strengths?

1) Typically responsive to constituents 2) Descriptively, more representative of population 3) Closest to the people 4) Large impact on social, political, and economic welfare of citizens

What influences whether someone runs for governor? (4 things)

1) When there is unpopular incumbents 2) Open seats 3) Ideological conditions of a state 4) collectively foster competitive races

What number of cases are settled by plea bargain?

1/2 of all cases

How many cases were filed in state courts in 2009?

100 million cases (after plea bargain cases are factored out)

Roughly what percentage of all sitting state judges were women in 2012?

24 percent

How large is the typical house district, and senate district?

57k in the house, 157k in senate

The power of some governors to send a passed bill back to the legislature asking for specific changes before he or she will sign it is called the

Amendatory Veto

In 2012, in which state did Republicans win control of both chambers of the state's General Assembly for the first time since Reconstruction ended in 1874.

Arkansas

What kinds of cases do state supreme courts hear?

Balance of power cases, automatic appeals cases (death penalty), discretionary cases

Which legislator is considered to be the most powerful in a state Senate?

Majority party leader

Two independent chambers, each having equal policy-making power, represent what type of legislature?

Bicameral

Which of the following is NOT a duty assigned to legislators by their state constitution? Select one: a. Overseeing the executive branch b. Lawmaking c. Enforcing statutes d. Representing the state's citizens in the state government

C. Enforcing Statutes

Which of the following is the main source of bill ideas? Select one: a. Media b. Constituents c. Lobbyists d. Legislators

C. Lobbyists

Which state recently adopted a Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC) that is unusual both for its independence and the complex process used to ensure its independence?

California

A personnel system in which certain employees are hired, fired, and promoted on the basis of merit testing and performance review is called

Civil Service

Getting a variety of people to work together to accomplish a common goal is known as the.......

Collective action problem

What is the Median Voter Hypothesis?

Competition forces parties to acquire median voter

Each supreme court employs someone to do most of the day-to-day administrative work. This position is known as the....

Director of State Courts

State courts are a central part of government, not only enforcing the law and settling conflicts, but sometimes....

Even making public policy

When the legislature checks up on an agency to make sure it is implementing policy according to legislative intent, it is known as.......

Ex post oversight

As _____, the governor represents the state to people, organizations, and other governments, both within and outside of its borders

Head of State

What are the 3 informal powers of the governor?

Head of state, Going public, Office staff

Most governors before running for elections have previously.......

Held political office and created a high recognition name

Scholars have found that voters tend to hold a governor accountable for the state's economy only if....

His party controls the legislature

Which governor won his first gubernatorial race in 1974, and then won a new term in 2010?

Jerry Brown

The power to judge whether a statute violates the state's constitution and ability to nullify that law is known as....

Judicial Review

What influences judicial decision making?

Law and precedent, ideology/values, external factors

Today, roughly three percent of all state lawmakers are....

Openly Gay or Lesbian

What is the name of the 100-year-old nonpartisan institution that provides a vehicle for governors to consult one another about their common problems?

National Governors Association

All states are bicameral legislatures except......

Nebraska

A strong ethic among government workers affirming that they are experts in their fields and should be allowed to execute their jobs without undue political influence from above is known as

Neutral Competence

In 2009, certain political appointees in Illinois tried to influence admissions decisions at the University of Illinois, a good example of the failure of.....

Neutral Competence

Every state holds its gubernatorial election every four years EXCEPT....

New Hampshire and Vermont

What is the most common post-governorship career?

Private business

Those who feel that a legislature should have plenty of resources to be a strong force in state government advocate legislative......

Professionalism

What are the 4 types of vetos and what are they?

Reduction veto - Selectively cut spending Amendatory veto - Send it back with changes Package veto - Negate entire bills Line-Item veto - Selectively veto lines of bills

What do state lawmakers do to help solve the collective action problem?

Select political party leaders

Which two states are the only ones to use legislative appointment for judicial selection?

South Carolina and Virginia

Which type of committee deals with an ongoing, specified type of policy, such as new technologies, capital punishment, environmental policy or transportation policy?

Standing (committee)

How does the Missouri/merit plan work?

Starts with justice appointment, then justice has fixed probationary period, then voters choose whether to keep justice

What makes district sizes vary?

States given size of population

For many _________ , running for governor is their first step into politics.

Successful business people

Legislatures have been dubbed.....

The Engines of Democracy

Most states give their governors a variety of special institutional powers with respect to...

The budget

Why do state supreme courts have considerable staying power with regard to court-made constitutional law?

The legislative process to amend the state constitution is extremely difficult compared to amending a statute.

The court system that a case goes into depends primarily on.....

The nature of the crime or conflict involved

How do high-level administrators formally implement state law?

They write administrative rules

What is the main reason why governors have stronger veto powers?

To reduce state spending

Suing a person because you feel he or she injured you is a common way of settling disputes in the Anglo-American tradition of common law, and is called a(n)

Tort

Laws that limit the right to sue or the amount that can be awarded in a lawsuit fall into the category of....

Tort reform

Generally, which type of court establishes the facts of a case and applies the law?

Trial courts

What are the formal powers of the governor?

Veto powers and Appointment powers

Following the 2010 elections, state Senators of which state fled to Illinois to avoid a quorum in having to take a vote on a piece of legislation?

Wisconsin

Are state legislators more diverse than federal legislators?

Yes

Do political parties help legislatures coordinate action and generate majorities?

Yes

Which of the following is true regarding women and minority state legislators? Select one: a. African American and women legislators tend to be more interested in education and social welfare policies than their white counterparts. b. African American state legislators are less likely than white legislators to have started their political careers outside of government. c. Women and minority legislators often work against each other in the legislative arena. d. White legislators are less likely to have a pessimistic view of race relations than African American legislators.

a. African American and women legislators tend to be more interested in education and social welfare policies than their white counterparts.

Which of the following plays the dominant, if not exclusive, role in the decision making of state supreme court justices? Select one: a. Case facts and existing legal decisions b. The ideology of the justices and the state's population c. A justice's party affiliation and gender d. The religion of the justice and the defendant

a. Case facts and existing legal decisions

Which of the following is NOT true regarding state legislative elections? Select one: a. Incumbents who run for reelection win roughly 50 percent of the time. b. The candidate's party largely determines a voter's choice in state legislative races. c. Voters sometimes make their vote choice based on the recognition of a candidate's name. d. Many voters make their choice right in the voting booth because of little thought given to the state legislative race.

a. Incumbents who run for reelection win roughly 50 percent of the time.

Which of the following is NOT a critique of the elite appointment system or of judicial elections? Select one: a. Judicial elections are criticized for being high-turnout, high-information affairs. b. The original elite appointment system for judges took away the independence of the courts. c. Elite appointments of judges can influence the type of person who rises to the bench. d. The legal profession frowns on judicial candidates who offer the sort of information that routinely is seen in campaigns for other political offices.

a. Judicial elections are criticized for being high-turnout, high-information affairs.

Which of the following crimes is considered a federal offense? Select one: a. Kidnapping b. Murder c. Assault d. Traffic infractions

a. Kidnapping

Which of the following is NOT true of the targeting electoral strategy utilized by legislative party leaders? Select one: a. Leaders ensure that the minority party does not nominate qualified candidates. b. Leaders leverage their powerful positions to attract campaign contributions. c. Leaders specifically target competitive districts. d. Leaders hire and work closely with election consultants.

a. Leaders ensure that the minority party does not nominate qualified candidates.

Which of the following is a typical characteristic of a citizen-legislature? Select one: a. Legislators earn less than $20,000 per year. b. The legislature meets all year. c. Lawmaking is a full time job. d. Legislative offices are well-staffed.

a. Legislators earn less than $20,000 per year.

Which of the following regarding state court systems is true? Select one: a. Most lawsuits result in either no money or only a modest amount of money being awarded to the injured party. b. The U. S. Supreme Court handles far more cases than state supreme courts. c. Television shows portraying the legal system are, contrary to popular belief, quite accurate in their depiction of how things work. d. There is much less institutional variation within and among states' judicial branches than among either their executive or legislative branches.

a. Most lawsuits result in either no money or only a modest amount of money being awarded to the injured party.

Which of the following is NOT a basic duty of the state legislature? Select one: a. Oversee the activities of the federal judiciary. b. Create and revise state laws. c. Oversee the executive branch's implementation of the state's laws d. Represent the interests of the state's citizens before the state government.

a. Oversee the activities of the federal judiciary.

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the power of calling special sessions? Select one: a. Special sessions are typically secretive and the results are not shared with the public until after the legislature has adjourned. b. The threat of a special session can be a potent tactic in part-time legislatures due to the extra time required. c. Most governors are empowered to set a limited agenda for the special session. d. Despite a special session being called, the legislature cannot be forced to pass the desired legislation.

a. Special sessions are typically secretive and the results are not shared with the public until after the legislature has adjourned.

Which of the following courts tends to be the only one seen fit for television drama series? Select one: a. Trial courts b. Intermediate courts of appeal c. Supreme courts d. District courts

a. Trial courts

Which of the following allows the governor to reduce the amount that is authorized to be spent on a budget item on appropriation bills? Select one: a. Reduction veto b. Appropriations veto c. Amendatory veto d. Authorization veto

a. reduction veto

Supreme courts like to hear cases that raise....

ambiguous legal questions that are common to a class of cases

Which of the following is NOT a step in the Merit Plan selection process? Select one: a. The judge, after serving a probationary term, faces the voters in a retention election. b. Each judicial candidate is represented by his or her registered party (or no party if independent) after selected by a nominating commission. c. The governor appoints one of the nominees to the vacancy for a short term, usually one to three years. d. A nominating commission is formed to recruit and evaluate potential judges.

b. Each judicial candidate is represented by his or her registered party (or no party if independent) after selected by a nominating commission.

Which of the following is one of the criteria that must be met by any redistricting plan? Select one: a. Each legislative district must be apportioned according to the latest public opinion poll. b. Each legislative district must be geographically contiguous. c. Each legislative district must be compact and racially representative. d. Each legislative district must respect local government boundaries.

b. Each legislative district must be geographically contiguous.

Which of the following courts judge questions about the fairness of a trial? Select one: a. Trial courts b. Intermediate courts of appeal c. Supreme courts d. District courts

b. Intermediate courts of appeal

Which of the following is NOT one of the institutional powers of governors? Select one: a. Veto b. Mass media attention c. Term length and limits d. Appointment powers

b. Mass media attention

Which of the following is true of the governor's staff? Select one: a. They have shifted away from budgetary issues. b. They are solely responsible to the governor. c. They are much smaller than in the 1960s. d. They have little control over the bureaucracy.

b. They are solely responsible to the governor.

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the similarities and differences between the judicial branch and the other branches of government? Select one: a. The format of trial court decision making is formal and consistent across courts. b. Governors and legislators are able to consider a variety of points of view. c. Like all courts, trial courts are active decision makers. d. Judges make decisions on specific disputes and specific facts concerning law in specific cases, whereas legislatures and governors make broad and general policy decisions.

c. Like all courts, trial courts are active decision makers.

Which of the following is NOT true regarding today's governors? Select one: a. As a group, they have come a long way from the political hacks that often occupied governor mansions before the 1960s. b. They are younger and more educated than in previous years. c. Once in office, they tend to push aside their vision of state government. d. Most have been highly successful in their chosen fields before becoming governor.

c. Once in office, they tend to push aside their vision of state government.

Which of the following is NOT true regarding plea bargaining? Select one: a. If plea bargains were nonexistent, the cost to the state would be astronomical. b. Completely innocent people charged with a crime may be intimidated into pleading guilty to reduce a potentially long sentence. c. Plea bargains give victims of crime the feeling that they have received justice. d. The already-slow progress of cases through the courts would grind to a halt without plea bargains.

c. Plea bargains give victims of crime the feeling that they have received justice.

State legislative elections Select one: a. are usually an important consideration for most voters on Election Day. b. rely heavily on paid advertising on TV and radio. c. are usually overshadowed by "up the ticket" races for Congress, governor, and president. d. tend to be extremely competitive at the district level.

c. are usually overshadowed by "up the ticket" races for Congress, governor, and president.

Which of the following is a factor that will increase the level of competition in a gubernatorial race? Select one: a. A strong incumbent governor is running for reelection. b. There is an uneven distribution of party voters in a state. c. There is an open seat. d. There is a clear front-runner who has enormous fundraising potential.

c. there is an open seat

Which of the following is NOT one of the responsibilities given to top state prosecutors and district attorneys? Select one: a. Following up on criminal investigations of the police b. Deciding which cases to bring to trial c. Negotiating with defense attorneys d. Acting as the governor's lawyer in the cases that go to trial

d. Acting as the governor's lawyer in the cases that go to trial

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the appeals process? Select one: a. A person cannot appeal a trial court decision simply because he or she lost the case. b. Legitimate grounds for an appeal in civil or criminal law have nothing to do with the facts of the case. c. A case can only be appealed based on questions about either the fairness of the trial or the constitutionality of the law involved. d. All state court systems have one level of appellate courts, deciding both questions of fairness and constitutionality.

d. All state court systems have one level of appellate courts, deciding both questions of fairness and constitutionality

Which of the following is NOT one of the four primary jobs a governor has? Select one: a. Acting as the point person for relations with people and government outside of the state b. Setting policy goals for the state c. Directing the state bureaucracy d. Drafting legislation

d. Drafting legislation

Which of the following is NOT true regarding state legislative majorities? Select one: a. A party whose members control 51 percent of the seats or more will have disproportionately more control over legislative decisions than the other party. b. Gaining a majority in a chamber is the "Holy Grail" of parties in state legislatures. c. If the majority party wants to paint its chamber polka dot, it can. d. Frequently, the minority party is able to crack the majority party, creating a coalition government.

d. Frequently, the minority party is able to crack the majority party, creating a coalition government.

Which of the following vetoes do all governors, as well as the President share? Select one: a. Amendatory veto b. Reduction veto c. Line-item veto d. Full or "package" veto

d. Full or "package" veto

Which of the following describes Wisconsin's Governor, Scott Walker? Select one: a. At the time he was elected, he was the nation's youngest governor. b. He successfully used public opinion and political finesse to push through his political agenda. c. He campaigned on cleaning up political corruption and ending party factions in 2010. d. He survived a divisive recall election in 2012.

d. He survived a divisive recall election in 2012.

Which of the following governors was impeached in 2009 on charges of committing a series of corrupt acts? Select one: a. Elliot Spitzer b. Rick Scott c. Ted Stevens d. Rod Blagojevich

d. Rod Blagojevich

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the jurisdiction of state supreme courts in states that use a three-tiered legal system? Select one: a. When the state legislature and governor have a conflict over their powers under the state constitution, they can bring the suit directly to the Supreme Court. b. The Supreme Court is required to hear appeals of certain criminal convictions, such as trials resulting in a death sentence. c. The Supreme Court can hear appeals of trial courts and decisions of intermediate courts of appeals at their discretion. d. The Supreme Court's docket is comprised largely of routine, mandatory appeals.

d. The Supreme Court's docket is comprised largely of routine, mandatory appeals.

Which of the following is NOT one of the broad factors in deciding state legislative district boundaries? Select one: a. The conflicts of interests among those drawing the maps b. The general public's lack of interest in, or knowledge about, the redistricting process Incorrect c. The lack of clear criteria for redistricting d. The necessary approval of Congress

d. The necessary approval of Congress

Which of the following is NOT true regarding analyses of the effect of judicial selection mechanisms? Select one: a. State judges are overwhelmingly middle-aged, middle-class, white, and male. b. Elections tend to reduce the level of racial and ethnic diversity among judges. c. Female judicial candidates do worse in election systems, even though they constitute a slight majority in most states. d. The type of judicial selection results in major differences in judicial decision making.

d. The type of judicial selection results in major differences in judicial decision making

Which of the following regarding state court systems is TRUE? Select one: a. Most state court judges facing merit elections fail to be retained for another term. b. As with the federal court system, most state court judges are appointed to the bench for life. c. According to the American Bar Association, roughly 10 percent of state supreme court judges are qualified for the bench. d. Unlike the federal court system, most state court judges must sometimes face the voters.

d. Unlike the federal court system, most state court judges must sometimes face the voters.

All of the following are true of pork barrel projects EXCEPT Select one: a. typically they are public works and economic development ventures whose benefits accrue largely to a specifically defined geographic area. b. legislative leaders shower the districts of their electorally threatened co-partisans with them in hopes of avoiding a party switch in those districts. c. legislators believe they will help their chances of winning reelection. d. conservative legislators who are ideologically opposed to government spending always shun such projects for their districts

d. conservative legislators who are ideologically opposed to government spending always shun such projects for their districts

Multimember districts were once used as a means to

dilute minority voters' influence at the polls

Democratic state lawmakers are twice as likely to be....

female than their Republican counterparts

Gubernatorial elections are most commonly held every

four years

Compared to state legislative elections, when voting for governor, voters...

have much more specific information about the candidate

In Iowa in 2010, three Supreme Court Justices....

lost their merit retention elections