Federal chapter 8 quiz

Approximately ________ of African Americans who voted in 2012 cast their ballot for Barack Obama.

95 percent

________ is usually a "safe" state for the Republican Party in presidential elections; ________ is usually a "safe" state for the Democratic Party.

Alabama; California

Which age group votes the most?

Americans 65 and older

Which statement best characterizes Asian American voter turnout in the United States?

Asian American voter turnout used to be lower, but has been increasing in recent elections.

In terms of race and political participation, which statement accurately characterizes a difference between the 2018 and 2020 elections?

Asian American, Black, and Latino voters made up a much larger share of the electorate than in previous elections.

Which of the following is the best characterization of digital political participation?

Digital political participation includes activities like visiting a candidate's website or signing an online petition.

The Hispanic vote was once referred to as "the sleeping giant" because

Latinos vote at low rates relative to the group's size in the population.

Which term describes the process by which large numbers of people are organized for a political activity?

Mobilization

Which statement about White Americans' participation in the 2020 presidential election is accurate?

Most White Americans supported Republican candidates.

Which statement about early voting is accurate?

Most, but not all, states offer some form of early voting, but its impact on turnout is not yet clear.

How did the decline of party machines during the early twentieth century contribute to a drop in turnout?

Party machines were no longer mobilizing voters as in the past.

Which statement best characterizes the relationship between participation and electoral competition?

People are more likely to participate in an election if it is competitive.

What role did digital participation play in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol?

Social media and podcasts played a significant role in disseminating the ideas behind the attack and encouraging protestors to mobilize.

A poll tax is

an unconstitutional fee charged to vote

Which of the following groups typically has the highest level of political participation?

enior citizens (65 and older)

When congressional districts are drawn to favor one political party over another, it is referred to as

gerrymandering.

Strict voter identification laws require that voters present a(n) ________ in order to cast a ballot.

government-issued photo ID

Laws that automatically register residents to vote in elections

have been enacted by 21 states and the District of Columbia.

Laws that automatically register residents to vote in elections

have been enacted by exactly half of states.

Which of the following characteristics constitutes one's socioeconomic status?

level of income, level of education, and prestige of occupation

In American politics, the digital divide refers to the

line separating citizens with internet access from those without.

Women are disadvantaged as candidates for office because

male candidates are more likely to have the advantage of incumbency in office.

Voter turnout in state and local elections is generally ________ turnout in national elections.

much lower than

Studies have shown that ________ is the most effective means to mobilize voters.

personal, face-to-face contact

Which term refers to a person's status in society, as determined by level of education, income, and occupational prestige?

socioeconomic status

Studies show that people are most likely to participate in politics when

someone they know asks them to get involved.

Under the Constitution, ________ the power to control voter registration.

state legislatures have

A low-income individual without internet access did not vote in a recent statewide election due to lack of political knowledge. This individual not having voted could be best explained by

the digital divide.

What is turnout?

the percentage of eligible individuals who actually vote

How could laws that prevent felons from voting lower overall turnout in the United States?

the prison population in the United States has expanded, lowering the number of eligible voters

Over the past decade, polls have shown that Asian American voters are moving

toward the Democratic Party

The number-one reason Americans gave for not voting in 2020 was that they

were "not interested in politics."

The Jim Crow era refers to the period

after Reconstruction and before the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

When was the Twenty-Sixth Amendment ratified?

during the Vietnam War

About ________ million Americans have lost their voting rights as a result of felony convictions.

5

Which of the following statements about political parties and voter mobilization is correct?

During the nineteenth century, party machines employed hundreds of thousands of workers to organize and mobilize voters.

Which of the following statements about voter identification laws is most accurate?

Republicans are more likely than Democrats to favor laws that require identification in order to vote.

What is one reason that political parties and politicians view Latinos as a critically important group?

The Latino population in the United States is large and rapidly growing.

What is the gender gap?

The difference in support for Republicans and Democrats among men and women.

What is the main point of a political protest?

To bring attention to an issue and confront a government or other official organization

Which of the following is the best characterization of traditional political participation?

Traditional political participation includes activities designed to influence the government, from voting, to donating to candidates, or attending political meetings.

Younger Americans tend to be much more concerned than older people about economic inequality, student debt, and stronger environmental regulations. However, these issues are not often the highest priorities of elected officials who pass laws to deal with these concerns. Which of the following helps explain why that is?

Turnout among younger Americans (age 18-29) is very low.

What was notable about the 2018 midterm elections?

Turnout was up significantly and was more akin to turnout in presidential elections.

Which amendment to the Constitution lowered the voting age from 21 to 18?

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

________ have an initiative process that lets citizens draft legislation, circulate petitions, and place the issue on the ballot for a popular vote.

Twenty-four of the 50 states

What impact did the 1965 Voting Rights Act have on rates of voter participation by Black Americans?

Voter participation rates went up, especially in the South

Who among the following potential voters is the most likely to vote?

a 29-year-old registered voter who rarely moves

What are permanent absentee ballots?

a voting option available in some states in which voters are automatically send a ballot for each election rather than requesting an absentee ballot

Which of the following would NOT be considered an example of digital political participation?

attending a protest outside your state capitol building

Digital forms of participation that require little effort and may not actually translate into offline acts of political engagement are often referred to as

clicktivism

Digital forms of participation that require little effort and may not actually translate into offline acts of political engagement are often referred to as Group of answer choices

clicktivism.

What is the most important factor in predicting whether an individual votes?

education level

Statewide ballot initiatives on controversial topics tend to

increase voter turnout in elections.

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws would ________ voter turnout among ________ voters.

increase; younger

Accidental mobilization occurs when

individuals are exposed to political information online that they did not explicitly seek out.

Which of these terms is the best definition of a violent attack on government?

insurrection

According to survey data, the vast majority reject which of these as a legitimate form of political participation?

riots

Which of the following election reforms is designed to make voting easier?

same-day voter registration

Which of the following groups typically has the highest level of political participation?

senior citizens (65 and older)