Texas Govt Chapter 5

Why are statewide officials such as the governor and lieutenant governor elected in nonpresidential years?

It prevents presidential candidates from influencing the outcome of Texas races

early voting

a procedure that allows voters to cast ballots during a two-week period before the regularly scheduled election date

general election

the election in which voters cast ballots to select public officials

Approximately what percentage of the state's voting-age population is registered to vote?

79 percent

poll tax

A requirement that citizens pay a tax in order to register to vote a state-imposed tax on voters as a prerequisite for voting; poll taxes were rendered unconstitutional in national elections by the Twenty-Fourth Amendment, and in state elections by the Supreme Court in 1966

Why does it matter who is a U.S. senator or representative in the House?

Congress makes our nation's laws, and it matters who we elect to represent us in Washington

Suppose you wanted to create a method of redistricting that would make races for the Texas legislature more competitive. Which plan would you recommend be enacted to do so?

Give the redistricting process to a non-partisan commission.

Which scenario would make a runoff primary most likely to occur?

Six candidates are all running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

What happens when a voter engages in straight-ticket voting?

The voter can check one box at the top of the ballot for one party and this will then cast a vote for each candidate on the ballot with that party's affiliation.

The poll tax was made illegal in federal elections with the passage of the

Twenty-Fourth Amendment.

Which of the following laws was written specifically to deal with expanding and protecting voting rights?

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Jaybird Party

after the white primary was ruled unconstitutional, this offshoot Democratic party preselected candidates for the Democratic primary and prohibited African Americans from participating

special election

an election that is not held on a regularly scheduled basis; in Texas, a special election is called to fill a vacancy in office, to give approval for the state government to borrow money, or to ratify or reject amendments to the Texas Constitution

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

The most recent census was conducted 2020, with a reapportionment completed soon after based on its results. Assuming the Texas population increased from its 2010 total, as a result of this reapportionment, Texas will most likely

gain seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

important legislation passed in order to ensure that African Americans would be guaranteed the right to vote. Renewed several times since 1965, the act also prevents the dilution of minority voting strength

Which of the following are the most important factors that influence whether or not someone votes?

income level and education

Which individuals are legally disqualified from voting?

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

In Texas, the ____________________ is responsible for redistricting.

legislature

Which of the following tends to lower voter turnout?

most elections are for low-visibility offices

A ________ was a state-imposed tax on voters as a prerequisite for voting.

poll tax

White primary

primary election in which only White voters were eligible to participate

reapportionment

process that takes place every 10 years to determine how many congressional seats each state will receive, depending on population shifts

preclearance

provision under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that required any changes to election procedures or district lines to be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Nineteenth Amendment

ratified in 1920, amendment guaranteeing women the right to vote

In Texas, special elections are used to

ratify amendments to the Texas Constitution.

The process of ________ involves recalculating how many congressional districts each state will receive based on the state's population.

reapportionment

The motor voter law

register to vote when you update your license (1993)

Which offshoot of the Democratic Party preselected candidates for the Democratic primary and prohibited African Americans from participating?

the Jaybird Party

electoral cycle

the process in which candidates run for office beginning with campaigns for the party primary and ending with the general election, usually in November

redistricting

the process of redrawing election districts and redistributing legislative representatives in the Texas House, Texas Senate, and U.S. House; this process usually happens every 10 years to reflect shifts in population or in response to legal challenges in existing districts

early registration

the requirement that a voter register long before the general election; in effect in Texas until 1971

suffrage

the right to vote

Texas was the first state in the South to

Ratify the women's suffrage amendment

primary election

a ballot vote in which citizens select a party's nominee for the general election the first elections held in an electoral cycle. In Texas, primary elections are generally held on the second Tuesday in March of even-numbered years. Determine a political party's nominees for the general election.

straight-ticket voting

a method of voting where a voter checks a box by one of the political parties on the ballot, which casts his or her vote for every candidate on the ballot with that political party affiliation

motor voter law

a national act, passed in 1993, that requires states to allow people to register to vote when applying for a driver's license

open primary

a primary election in which any registered voter can participate in the contest, regardless of party affiliation

closed primary

a primary election in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote

runoff primary

a second primary election held between the two candidates who received the most votes in the first primary election if no candidate in that election received an absolute majority

Which of the following is the largest expense for most campaigns?

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