CHAPTER 10 Elections

CHAPTER 10

Elections and Campaigns

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Ans: APage: 231Type: Conceptual

1. Which of the following statements about the nomination process in the United States is correct?

a. Parties play a minor role compared to Europe.b. Parties play a larger role today than at the turn of the century.c. In the United States, nomination is usually tantamount to

election.d. The nomination process in the United States is more of an

organizational effort than in Europe.e. The nomination is less influenced by organized interests than

in Europe.

Ans: EPage: 231Type: Factual

2. Until the early nineteenth century, parties chose their presidential nominees by

a. secret ballot.b. secret primaries.c. party conventions.d. closed primaries.e. congressional caucuses.


3. The elections that produce the largest voter turnout are the

a. local elections.b. judicial elections.c. senatorial elections.d. House elections.e. presidential elections.

Ans: DPage: 232Type: Conceptual

4. A major difference between presidential campaigns and congressional campaigns is that

a. fewer people vote in presidential elections.b. presidential incumbents can better serve their constituents.c. presidential incumbents can more easily avoid responsibility.d. presidential races are generally more competitive.e. congressional incumbents are more likely to be defeated.


5. Which of the following statements best summarizes the value of presidential coattails to congressional candidates of the same party?

a. It has never been a significant factor.b. It remains a significant factor today.c. It is increasingly significant for the Republicans.d. It is becoming more significant today.e. It is becoming much less significant today.

Ans: BPage: 232Type: Factual

6. The first goal of an individual planning to run for office is to

a. hire a paid staff of advisers.b. get mentioned as a possible candidate.c. develop a strategy for the campaign.d. raise money from individuals and political action committees

(PACs).e. replace party leaders with avid supporters.


7. Ronald Reagan made a dozen speeches a day to audiences all over the country while

a. his acting career was in full swing.b. working for General Electric.c. running for president in 1980.d. running for president in 1984.e. campaigning for George Bush.


8. Most “position papers” are rarely used, or not at all, but are still important because

a. they show important interest groups a candidate’s positions.b. prepare candidates to answer tough questions.c. they allow journalists to look up a candidate’s views.d. they sway voters in key states.e. a, b, and c.

Ans: APage: 234Type: Factual

9. Incumbents have run in ____ of the last 12 presidential elections.

a. 8b. 4c. 3d. 2e. all

Ans: DPage: 234Type: Factual

10. In 1980, Ronald Reagan chose ________ as a theme for his campaign.

a. the need for changeb. trustc. compassionate conservatismd. competencee. strength

Ans: CPage: 234Type: Factual

11. In 2000, George Bush chose __________ as a theme for his campaign.

a. the need for changeb. trustc. compassionate conservatismd. competencee. strength

Ans: EPage: 234-235Type: Factual

12. Since 1962, over ____ percent of House incumbents who sought reelection won it.

a. 60b. 65c. 75d. 80e. 90


13. The Constitution calls for reapportionment

a. every five years.b. every ten years.c. every twenty years.d. every fifty years.e. every one hundred years.


14. In 1911, Congress decided that the House had become large enough and voted to fix its size at

a. 100.b. 435.c. 535.d. 537.e. 600.


15. All of the following states gained seats in the House after the 2000 census except

a. California.b. North Carolina.c. Georgia.d. Illinois.e. Arizona.


16. Which state has benefited the most, by gaining the highest number of seats in the House, after the last two census adjustments?

a. Californiab. New Yorkc. Floridad. Texase. Illinois


17. Most newly elected members of the House can expect an increase of _________ percent more votes when they run for reelection.

a. 1 to 2b. 3 to 4c. 5 to 7d. 8 to 10e. 15 to 20


18. The increase in voter support that a member of the House receives in his / her first bid for reelection is referred to as the

a. no-brainer march.b. post-office bounce.c. two-time round-up.d. second-wind surprise.

e. sophomore surge.Ans: APage: 238Type: Factual

19. Which of the following statements is incorrect?

a. Representatives must be 20 years of age.b. Senators must be 30 years of age.c. Representatives-be citizens of the U.S. for 7 years.d. Senators must be citizens of the U.S. for 9 years.e. Representatives and senators must live in the state in which

they are elected.


20. Who said “all politics is local?”

a. Will Rodgersb. Groucho Marxc. Karl Marxd. Huey Longe. “Tip” O’Neill

Ans: BPage: 237Type: Conceptual

21. Legislators who think of themselves as trustees are most likely to

a. follow their constituent’s wishes closely.b. do what they perceive is best.c. influence committees to vote the delegate’s positions.d. gather support from interest group representatives.e. follow the lead of the party caucuses.

Ans: CPage: 237Type: Conceptual

22. One reason why the approach used by a candidate in a general election may not work in a primary is that a primary candidate must

a. take a more mainstream view of key issues.b. be more aware of the “clothespin” vote.c. play to the ideology of political activists.d. take greater caution to avoid slips of the tongue.e. avoid media scrutiny at all costs.

Ans: DPage: 238-239Type: Factual

23. To win the presidential nomination, as opposed to the general election, candidates generally present themselves as

a. more conservative.b. more liberal.c. more liberal if Republican, more conservative if Democrat.d. more liberal if Democrat, more conservative if Republican.e. moderate.


24. In the 1980 presidential election, many voters voted for Ronald Reagan over Jimmy Carter as a vote against Carter, not out of loyalty to Reagan. Such a vote is referred to as a(n)

a. spin vote.b. clothespin vote.c. prospective vote.d. informed vote.e. inclined vote.

Ans: EPage: 239Type: Conceptual

25. A _________ issue is one in which the rival candidates have opposing views on a question that also divides the voters.

a. valenceb. primaryc. secondaryd. residuale. position


26. In the 2000 election, George W. Bush wanted to let people put some of their Social Security money into private savings accounts; Al Gore opposed this. This is an example of a ________ issue.

a. valenceb. primaryc. secondaryd. positione. residual


27. A _________ issue is one in which a candidate fully supports the public’s view on a matter about which nearly everybody is in agreement.

a. valenceb. primaryc. secondaryd. positione. residual


28. An example of a ________ issue was when Jimmy Carter seemed more likely to favor honesty in government than did his opponent in 1976.

a. residualb. primaryc. secondaryd. positione. valence


29. _________ issues have increased in importance in campaigns in recent years.

a. Valenceb. Primaryc. Secondaryd. Positione. Residual


30. The kind of campaign activity most notably on the increase in recent elections is

a. appearances at malls.b. large parades and rallies.c. whistle-stop train tours.d. appearances at factories.e. broadcasting.


31. Which of the following statements about television spot ads in general elections is true?

a. They manipulate voters very effectively.b. They have almost no effect, as far as can be determined.c. They usually help the Republican candidate.d. They are being used less and less frequently.e. They usually help Democratic candidates.


32. Which of the following statements about the impact of television advertising is probably true?

a. It is greater for clarifying issues than for projecting an image.b. It is more pronounced in congressional than in presidential

races.c. It is greater on primary elections than on general elections.d. It is greater on general elections than on primary elections.e. It is greater on strong partisans.


33. The drawback to candidates of television visuals and debates is

a. their time limitations.b. the risk of verbal slips.c. their expense.d. audience passivity.e. the inability to control background images.


34. Compared with paid television advertising, television visuals such as an appearance by a candidate on the nightly news are probably

a. more expensive.b. less credible with voters.c. more informative.d. less influential on election outcomes.e. less informative.


35. One way for a candidate to avoid embarrassing slips of the tongue during campaigning is to

a. engage in televised debates.b. avoid paid advertising.c. participate in town meetings.d. control the timing of visuals.e. rely on stock speeches.


36. One effect of candidates’ fear of a slip during campaigning is that, increasingly, candidates are

a. relying on television debates to clarify their views.b. selling an image rather than their ideas.c. avoiding stock speeches in favor of impromptu briefings.d. avoiding television exposure altogether.e. concentrating heavily on substance and ideas.


37. The positive effect of television is best illustrated by the 1992 campaign of

a. Bill Clinton.b. George Bush.c. Ross Perot.d. all of the candidates.e. none of the candidates.


38. An advantage of direct-mail appeals is that they

a. cost very little.b. can be directed at specific subgroups of the populations.c. can blanket the entire electorate.d. reach only the literate.e. can convince strong partisans to change their perspectives.


39. Unlike congressional campaigns, presidential campaigns are funded by

a. private sources only.b. public sources only.c. both private and public sources.d. federal matching grants only.e. private sources during the primaries and public sources after

the nominations are made.


40. One effect of the way that federal matching funds are made available to candidates for presidential campaigns is to

a. give candidates an incentive to raise money from small donors.b. encourage candidates to use more of their own financing.c. strengthen the role that the party plays in raising campaign

funds.d. increase the chances of an ideologically-oriented candidate

winning the election.e. encourage a large number of third party candidates to run.

Ans: BPage: 244-245Type: Factual

41. Funding of congressional elections comes from

a. public sources only.b. private sources only.c. party sources only.d. a combination of public, party, and private sources.e. the parties and public sources.


42. A PAC must have ____ members.

a. 2b. 8c. 50d. 100e. 120


43. Given what we know about “red” counties and “blue” counties, which of the following statements is incorrect?

a. The Democrats dominate New England.b. The Republicans dominate bigger cities in the Midwest.c. The Democrats dominate the coastal areas of California,

Oregon and Washington.d. Many red states feature blue counties.e. Many blue states feature red counties.


44. Which of the following statements concerning the 2004 election is incorrect?

a. There was an increase in the number of registered voters.b. Voter turnout increased.c. Get-out-the vote drives probably helped Kerry more than

Bush.d. Bush increased the share of the vote that he had in 2000 in

almost every state.e. None of the above.


45. Bush generally won the votes of all of the following except

a. Protestants.b. gun owners.c. strong critics of abortion.d. opponents of same sex marriage.e. unmarried voters.


46. Kerry generally won the votes of all of the following except

a. people worried about moral values.b. women.c. Jews.d. secularists.e. opponents of the war in Iraq.


47. If there was a single, decisive issue in the election, it was probably

a. the economy.b. moral values.c. same sex marriage.d. concerns about terrorism and national security.e. abortion.


48. The Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 raised the individual limit on contributions to _________ per candidate per election.

a. $1,000b. $2,000c. $5,000d. $10,000e. $15,000


49. History suggests _____ of the presidential vote will go to the candidates of the two main parties.

a. 60 percentb. 70 percentc. 80 percentd. 90 percente. 99 percent


50. In the 2000 election, Ralph Nader won ___ percent of the popular vote.

a. 1b. 2c. 5d. 10e. 15

Ans: DPage: 252Type: Conceptual

51. The experience with 527 organizations in the 2004 elections suggest campaign finance laws

a. are an effective way to minimize interest group participation.b. are an effective way to reduce campaign spending.c. facilitate coordination of efforts between candidates and

groups.d. are not likely to take money out of politics.e. have restricted speech considerably.


52. One advantage that incumbents always have over challengers is

a. their larger share of federal campaign monies.b. the political advantage of riding the president’s coattails.c. their use of free mailings, or franks.d. their freedom from FEC regulations.e. b and d.


53. Many scholars argue that the foremost factor in determining how people vote is

a. debate performance.b. perception of the best candidate.c. campaign spending.d. the candidate’s image.e. party identification.


54. Democrats could be predicted to win every election if the only factor were

a. candidate appeal.b. campaign issues.c. debate performance.d. money spent.e. party identification.


55. Which party tends to be more loyal to its candidate in presidential elections?

a. Democratsb. Republicansc. Independentsd. a and c.e. No clear-cut difference exists among the parties.

Ans: APage: 254-255Type: Factual

56. Which party tends to do better in competing for the vote of self-described independents?

a. Republicans do much better than Democrats.b. Republicans do slightly better than Democrats.c. Democrats do much better than Republicans.d. Democrats do slightly better than Republicans.e. Republicans and Democrats do equally well.


57. Self-described strong Republicans have voted in greater proportions than strong Democrats in

a. relatively few presidential races.b. every presidential race in the past thirty years.c. years when there was a Republican incumbent.d. years when there was a Democratic incumbent.e. elections when the economy was strong.


58. Voters are most likely to switch parties between elections when

a. it serves their self-interest.b. the economy is relatively strong.c. the country is at war.d. it means switching to the party in power.e. b and c.


59. When a voter votes for the candidate whom he or she considers more likely to do a better job in office, the voting is referred to as

a. clothespin voting.b. ideological voting.c. prospective voting.d. retrospective voting.e. sociotropic voting.

Ans: DPage: 255-256Type: Conceptual

60. When a voter votes based on how things have been going and which party is in power, it is referred to as

a. issueless voting.b. ideological voting.c. prospective voting.d. retrospective voting.e. sociotropic voting.


61. According to the text, campaigns do make a difference because they

a. emphasize details and issues over themes and perceptions.b. give voters a chance to see how candidates handle pressure.c. reduce the influence of single-issue groups.d. counteract the effects of party loyalty and national economic

conditions.e. neutralize the impact of the media on voter’s decisions.


62. Several factors have contributed to the emphasis on themes over details in recent elections. One of these factors is the

a. growing strength of political parties.b. rise in prospective voting.c. increase in the number of televised debates and visuals.d. campaign finance reforms of 1974.e. desire of voters to discern candidate character.


63. Although campaigns in the United States have historically emphasized broad themes over specific details, what has emerged in recent years is the

a. power of political parties.b. influence of political fat cats.c. importance of primary elections.d. impact of major political realignments.e. influence of lawyers in the selection of candidates.


64. The Democrats appear to have lost their once-strong hold on which of the following groups?

a. Catholics.b. Southerners.c. Union members.d. Blacks.e. a, b, and c.


65. Union leaders, in making demands on Democratic leaders and candidates, will usually emphasize

a. the loyalty of their followers to the party.b. labor’s willingness to form a factional party if necessary.c. the contributions of labor to the New Deal.d. the contributions of labor to the Great Wars effort.e. the large number of union voters.


66. The Republican party was clearly the dominant party in American politics from

a. 1896 to 1932.b. 1916 to 1948.c. 1932 to 1960.d. 1948 to 1968.e. 1972 to 1996.


67. Great Britain’s parliamentary system seems to produce at relatively regular intervals

a. a deadlock of legislative and executive powers.b. elections that effect major policy changes.c. disputed elections to be decided in court.d. a government unable to act at all.e. partisan gridlock and scandals among leadership.


68. The text argues that the U.S. constitutional system was designed to make the adoption of radical departures in policy

a. efficient.b. easy.c. impossible.d. unnecessary.e. difficult.


69. An election that brought about wide-scale adoption of social assistance programs was that in

a. 1956.b. 1964.c. 1972.d. 1980.e. 1992.


70. An election that brought about a significant reduction in taxes, spending, and regulatory practices was that in

a. 1956.b. 1964.c. 1976.d. 1980.e. 1992.


71. One study of some 1,400 promises made in political parties’ platforms between 1944 and 1964 found that some ________ percent of them were kept.

a. 12b. 37c. 52d. 74e. 93

CHAPTER 10 Elections

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