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GOV CH-7 ELECTION CHAPTER TEST

Matching
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below. You will not use all the terms.
a.
nomination
b.
coattail effect
c.
runoff primary
d.
polling place
e.
blanket primary
f.
closed primary
 

 1. 

 The ____ occurs when a strong candidate running for an office at the top of a ballot helps attract voters to other candidates on the party's ticket.
 

 2. 

 In the ____, the two top vote getters in a direct primary face one another, with the winner receiving the nomination.
 

 3. 

 A ____ is where voters who live in a particular precinct actually go to vote.
 

 4. 

 A ____ is a party nominating election in which only declared party members are allowed to vote.
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below. You will not use all the terms.
a.
nomination
b.
general election
c.
open primary
d.
nonpartisan election
e.
closed primary
f.
political action committee
 

 5. 

 A(n) ____ is the naming of a candidate who will seek election for a public office.
 

 6. 

 The ____ is a party nominating election in which any qualified voter can participate.
 

 7. 

 A ____ is a special interest group that seeks to influence elections and affect public policy decisions.
 

 8. 

 Elections in which candidates are not identified by party labels are known as ____.
 

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 
 
MAIN IDEAS
 

 9. 
The nominating stage is important in the electoral process mostly because
a.
only Republicans and Democrats can take part in nominations.
b.
nominations set real limits to the choices voters can make in general elections.
c.
major party candidates exert more effort to win nominations than elections.
d.
in a democracy the general election is little more than a formality.
 

 10. 
Petitions to nominate candidates
a.
generally require fewer signatures for higher offices than lower ones.
b.
can no longer be used at State and national levels.
c.
are generally required by State law for nominating minor party candidates.
d.
are a standardized practice of federal law.
 

 11. 
Why are voting machines used?
a.
to eliminate the election process
b.
to increase the number of persons needed to administer elections
c.
to minimize vote-counting errors
d.
to encourage manual vote counting
 

 12. 
Voters are asked to complete election ballots in all of the following ways EXCEPT
a.
moving levers on a voting machine.
b.
marking a punch card.
c.
returning a mail-in ballot.
d.
raising hands at a public meeting.
 

 13. 
Money is an indispensable campaign resource because
a.
special interest groups have more money than political parties.
b.
wealthy contributors win all elections.
c.
it allows candidates to make themselves known to the public.
d.
candidates might otherwise try to buy their way into office.
 

 14. 
Campaign contributions to a presidential candidate can
a.
come from any foreign country.
b.
be for any amount of money.
c.
all be made anonymously.
d.
be made by any American.
 

 15. 
The oldest form of the nominating process in the United States is
a.
the convention.
b.
a congressional caucus.
c.
the direct primary.
d.
self-announcement.
 

 16. 
A primary in which candidates are not labeled by party is known as a
a.
runoff primary.
b.
direct primary.
c.
nonpartisan primary.
d.
blanket primary.
 

 17. 
The purpose of poll watchers is to
a.
make sure that only qualified people vote.
b.
kept supporters of opposing candidates from voting.
c.
allow only their party's supporters to vote.
d.
allow everyone to vote.
 

 18. 
Which of the following is NOT a criticism of the primary process?
a.
the need to declare a party preference
b.
the “bedsheet ballot”
c.
the expense
d.
the lack of a clear winner
 

 19. 
Which of the following statements about PACs is FALSE?
a.
They can raise funds only for presidential and congressional campaigns.
b.
They distribute money to those candidates who are sympathetic to their policy goals.
c.
They can give no more than $5,000 to any one federal candidate in an election.
d.
They can give no more than $15,000 a year to a political party.
 

 20. 
Which of the following statements about the FEC is FALSE?
a.
It is an independent agency in the executive branch.
b.
It administers federal laws dealing with campaign finance.
c.
It regulates the use of money in State and local elections only.
d.
It places limits on campaign expenditures and contributions.
 

 21. 
Which of the following is NOT legal under the current federal presidential campaign financing laws?
a.
A person or group can contribute unlimited funds to a political campaign.
b.
A person or group can contribute unlimited funds to a "voter education" campaign.
c.
A person or group can spend unlimited funds on an ad for a particular issue without mentioning a candidate.
d.
A person or group can spend unlimited funds to oppose a candidate.
 

 22. 
In a closed primary
a.
only declared party members may vote.
b.
all qualified voters may vote.
c.
voters must vote a split ticket.
d.
voters must complete separate ballots for both parties.
 

 23. 
The detailed provisions of federal election laws are important
a.
because most U.S. elections are for federal offices.
b.
because they are specifically listed in the Constitution.
c.
to prevent State voter registration requirements.
d.
to maintain honest and free elections at all levels.
 

 24. 
The smallest geographic unit for conducting an election is a
a.
precinct.
b.
polling place.
c.
county.
d.
ballot.
 

 25. 
Which of the following ballots tends to encourage straight-ticket voting?
a.
office-group ballot
b.
party-column ballot
c.
nonpartisan ballot
d.
"bed-sheet" ballot
 

 26. 
The biggest drawback of the need for large amounts of money to campaign is that
a.
people who cannot raise the money are denied a chance to be elected.
b.
getting money from PACs and temporary organizations is a very difficult process.
c.
candidates must use much of their own money to finance their campaigns.
d.
political action committees have a hard time raising needed funds.
 

 27. 
The convention system at first seemed more representative of the party as a whole than the caucus because
a.
all party members could vote for delegates to send to county conventions.
b.
all party members voted directly for presidential candidates.
c.
the convention did not allow for control by powerful party members.
d.
delegates could vote any way they wished at State and national conventions.
 

 28. 
All of the following are loopholes in the current federal election laws EXCEPT
a.
the use of soft money for "party building" activities.
b.
money spent by an independent person or group on behalf of a candidate.
c.
the prominent use of issue ads.
d.
unlimited contributions by PACs to any one federal candidate.
 

 29. 
The Constitution gives the power to set the date for holding congressional elections to
a.
the President.
b.
Congress.
c.
the States.
d.
local precincts.
 

 30. 
On which ballot are candidates listed together under the title of the position they seek?
a.
party-column ballot
b.
office-group ballot
c.
sample ballot
d.
"bed-sheet" ballot
 

 31. 
The most expensive item in a typical campaign budget is
a.
travel.
b.
print advertisements.
c.
television advertisements.
d.
professional campaign managers.
 

 32. 
Which of the following statements about voting machines is TRUE?
a.
They do away with the need for manual vote counting.
b.
They increase the number of people needed to administer elections.
c.
They slow down the voting process.
d.
They increase the risk of counting errors.
 

 33. 
Which of the following is NOT a federal law governing political campaign financing?
a.
A person can give no more than $25,000 a year to a federal candidate.
b.
No PAC can give more than $5,000 to any one federal candidate in an election.
c.
A person can spend no more than $1,000 in an election on behalf of a candidate without that candidate's permission.
d.
A PAC can give up to $15,000 to a political party in an election.
 

 34. 
The Federal Election Commission enforces laws in each of the following areas EXCEPT
a.
disclosing of campaign financial information.
b.
limiting campaign contributions to PACs.
c.
providing public funding for parts of the election process.
d.
setting the maximum amount a candidate may contribute to his or her own campaign.
 
 
INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS
Use the cartoon to answer the following questions.

nar002-1.jpg
 

 35. 
What practice is the subject of the cartoon?
a.
individual campaign contributions
b.
PAC campaign activities
c.
federal regulation of campaign spending
d.
public funding of federal campaigns
 

 36. 
In general, the cartoon
a.
supports federal funding for presidential candidates.
b.
suggests it is ironic that candidates take public funds while supporting lower federal spending.
c.
supports federal funding of a large number of candidates.
d.
criticizes the reluctance of the Treasury to allow funding of proper presidential candidates.
 

 37. 
The man outside the truck is
a.
stealing money from the United States Treasury.
b.
making a deal with the Treasury official.
c.
gathering legal public funds for presidential candidates.
d.
handing money back to the United States Treasury official.
 

 38. 
The pigs depicted in the cartoon represent
a.
the matching funds provided by the government.
b.
the Treasury of the United States.
c.
presidential candidates.
d.
the need for tighter qualifications for a public subsidy.
 

 39. 
The pigs are eating
a.
all of the United States Treasury money.
b.
federal matching funds for presidential candidates.
c.
the country's deficit.
d.
more than 28.7 million dollars each.
 

 40. 
The use of pigs suggests that presidential candidates are
a.
using dirty politics.
b.
using illegal (unclean) methods.
c.
greedy.
d.
sociable.
 

 41. 
The nominating process is particularly important in
a.
a dictatorship.
b.
our two-party system.
c.
one-party constituencies.
d.
both b and c
 

 42. 
The LEAST democratic method for nominating candidates is the
a.
caucus.
b.
convention.
c.
direct primary.
d.
petition.
 

 43. 
Which of the following had the MOST impact on the decline of the caucus in national politics?
a.
John Adams
b.
George Wallace
c.
Andrew Jackson
d.
Henry Clay
 

 44. 
Compared with the caucus and convention methods, the number of people who can participate in choosing candidates through the direct primary is
a.
about the same.
b.
very small.
c.
much greater.
d.
much less.
 

 45. 
The Supreme Court’s 2000 ruling on California’s blanket primary found this form of primary to violate the rights of
a.
the voters.
b.
political parties.
c.
State election boards.
d.
candidates.
 

 46. 
People who tend to vote a straight ticket should be sure to vote in the primary election because
a.
the outcome of that election will dictate whom they will vote for in the general election.
b.
they need to show their loyalty to their party.
c.
otherwise independent voters will have too much impact on the primary process.
d.
it is best to avoid a runoff primary.
 

 47. 
If a Republican candidate for governor is proving to be especially popular, which of the following is MOST likely to benefit?
a.
the voters
b.
other Republican candidates
c.
minor party candidates
d.
Democratic candidates
 

 48. 
For providing optimum security, the best voting device is considered by many to be
a.
the voting booth.
b.
vote-by-mail.
c.
online voting.
d.
EDP-based voting.
 

 49. 
Just as the methods for nominating candidates became gradually more ______, so too did the methods for casting ballots.
a.
biased
b.
democratic
c.
corrupt
d.
reliable
 

 50. 
Which of the following BEST describes a major motivation of contributors to political campaigns?
a.
Money fuels democracy.
b.
Politics is charity for government.
c.
Money = influence.
d.
Let’s lighten the candidate’s load.
 

 51. 
Laws governing campaign finance have become gradually
a.
less intrusive.
b.
more arbitrary.
c.
less detailed.
d.
more specific and enforced.
 

 52. 
Suppose legislation prohibiting the sale of tobacco products is pending in Congress. Before the next congressional election, why might informed voters wish to access the campaign finance information gathered by the FEC?
a.
In order to find out how each candidate voted on similar legislation.
b.
In order to determine which candidates own stock in tobacco companies.
c.
In order to be sure which political party supports the legislation.
d.
In order to learn which candidates have accepted campaign contributions from tobacco companies.
 

 53. 
Other than giving money directly to candidates, what other legal avenues do PACs have to influence elections?
a.
congressional committees
b.
political parties
c.
the wives of candidates
d.
none of the above
 

 54. 
In 2000, George W. Bush could legally spend more than the FEC limit of $40.5 million in the preconvention period because
a.
his father was a former President.
b.
his opponent, Al Gore, agreed to the higher limit.
c.
he did not accept FEC money during that period.
d.
a minor party candidate had entered the race, thus voiding this FEC limit.
 

 55. 
A large percentage of the money spent on political campaigns during the 1980s and 1990s came from
a.
unregulated soft money.
b.
regulated soft money.
c.
unregulated hard money.
d.
preconvention funds.
 



 
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