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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.
general election
c.
open primary
d.
nonpartisan election
e.
closed primary
f.
political action committee
 

 1. 

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

 2. 

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

 3. 

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

 4. 

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

 5. 

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

 6. 

 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.
 

 7. 

 A ____ is a party nominating election in which only declared party members are allowed to vote.
 

 8. 

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

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

 9. 
Compared with the caucus and convention methods, the number of people who can participate in choosing candidates through the direct primary is
a.
very small.
b.
much less.
c.
much greater.
d.
about the same.
 

 10. 
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 be sure which political party supports the legislation.
b.
In order to learn which candidates have accepted campaign contributions from tobacco companies.
c.
In order to find out how each candidate voted on similar legislation.
d.
In order to determine which candidates own stock in tobacco companies.
 

 11. 
Which of the following BEST describes a major motivation of contributors to political campaigns?
a.
Money = influence.
b.
Let’s lighten the candidate’s load.
c.
Money fuels democracy.
d.
Politics is charity for government.
 
 
MAIN IDEAS
 

 12. 
Which of the following is NOT a criticism of the primary process?
a.
the expense
b.
the lack of a clear winner
c.
the “bedsheet ballot”
d.
the need to declare a party preference
 

 13. 
All of the following are loopholes in the current federal election laws EXCEPT
a.
the prominent use of issue ads.
b.
the use of soft money for "party building" activities.
c.
money spent by an independent person or group on behalf of a candidate.
d.
unlimited contributions by PACs to any one federal candidate.
 

 14. 
Money is an indispensable campaign resource because
a.
wealthy contributors win all elections.
b.
it allows candidates to make themselves known to the public.
c.
candidates might otherwise try to buy their way into office.
d.
special interest groups have more money than political parties.
 

 15. 
Which of the following statements about the FEC is FALSE?
a.
It places limits on campaign expenditures and contributions.
b.
It administers federal laws dealing with campaign finance.
c.
It is an independent agency in the executive branch.
d.
It regulates the use of money in State and local elections only.
 

 16. 
Which of the following ballots tends to encourage straight-ticket voting?
a.
"bed-sheet" ballot
b.
nonpartisan ballot
c.
party-column ballot
d.
office-group ballot
 

 17. 
The detailed provisions of federal election laws are important
a.
to prevent State voter registration requirements.
b.
to maintain honest and free elections at all levels.
c.
because most U.S. elections are for federal offices.
d.
because they are specifically listed in the Constitution.
 

 18. 
The nominating stage is important in the electoral process mostly because
a.
in a democracy the general election is little more than a formality.
b.
only Republicans and Democrats can take part in nominations.
c.
nominations set real limits to the choices voters can make in general elections.
d.
major party candidates exert more effort to win nominations than elections.
 

 19. 
Which of the following statements about voting machines is TRUE?
a.
They increase the number of people needed to administer elections.
b.
They slow down the voting process.
c.
They increase the risk of counting errors.
d.
They do away with the need for manual vote counting.
 

 20. 
The oldest form of the nominating process in the United States is
a.
self-announcement.
b.
the direct primary.
c.
the convention.
d.
a congressional caucus.
 

 21. 
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.
 

 22. 
The purpose of poll watchers is to
a.
allow only their party's supporters to vote.
b.
allow everyone to vote.
c.
kept supporters of opposing candidates from voting.
d.
make sure that only qualified people vote.
 

 23. 
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
 

 24. 
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.
delegates could vote any way they wished at State and national conventions.
d.
the convention did not allow for control by powerful party members.
 

 25. 
Petitions to nominate candidates
a.
are generally required by State law for nominating minor party candidates.
b.
are a standardized practice of federal law.
c.
can no longer be used at State and national levels.
d.
generally require fewer signatures for higher offices than lower ones.
 

 26. 
Which of the following statements about PACs is FALSE?
a.
They can give no more than $5,000 to any one federal candidate in an election.
b.
They can raise funds only for presidential and congressional campaigns.
c.
They distribute money to those candidates who are sympathetic to their policy goals.
d.
They can give no more than $15,000 a year to a political party.
 

 27. 
A primary in which candidates are not labeled by party is known as a
a.
blanket primary.
b.
runoff primary.
c.
nonpartisan primary.
d.
direct primary.
 

 28. 
Campaign contributions to a presidential candidate can
a.
all be made anonymously.
b.
come from any foreign country.
c.
be for any amount of money.
d.
be made by any American.
 

 29. 
Which of the following is NOT legal under the current federal presidential campaign financing laws?
a.
A person or group can spend unlimited funds to oppose a candidate.
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 contribute unlimited funds to a political campaign.
 

 30. 
The smallest geographic unit for conducting an election is a
a.
ballot.
b.
polling place.
c.
county.
d.
precinct.
 

 31. 
Why are voting machines used?
a.
to encourage manual vote counting
b.
to minimize vote-counting errors
c.
to increase the number of persons needed to administer elections
d.
to eliminate the election process
 

 32. 
Which of the following is NOT a federal law governing political campaign financing?
a.
No PAC can give more than $5,000 to any one federal candidate in an election.
b.
A PAC can give up to $15,000 to a political party 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 person can give no more than $25,000 a year to a federal candidate.
 

 33. 
Voters are asked to complete election ballots in all of the following ways EXCEPT
a.
moving levers on a voting machine.
b.
returning a mail-in ballot.
c.
marking a punch card.
d.
raising hands at a public meeting.
 

 34. 
In a closed primary
a.
voters must vote a split ticket.
b.
voters must complete separate ballots for both parties.
c.
only declared party members may vote.
d.
all qualified voters may vote.
 

 35. 
The biggest drawback of the need for large amounts of money to campaign is that
a.
getting money from PACs and temporary organizations is a very difficult process.
b.
people who cannot raise the money are denied a chance to be elected.
c.
candidates must use much of their own money to finance their campaigns.
d.
political action committees have a hard time raising needed funds.
 

 36. 
The most expensive item in a typical campaign budget is
a.
television advertisements.
b.
travel.
c.
print advertisements.
d.
professional campaign managers.
 

 37. 
The Federal Election Commission enforces laws in each of the following areas EXCEPT
a.
setting the maximum amount a candidate may contribute to his or her own campaign.
b.
disclosing of campaign financial information.
c.
limiting campaign contributions to PACs.
d.
providing public funding for parts of the election process.
 
 
INTERPRETING POLITICAL CARTOONS
Use the cartoon to answer the following questions.

nar002-1.jpg
 

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

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

 40. 
What practice is the subject of the cartoon?
a.
federal regulation of campaign spending
b.
PAC campaign activities
c.
public funding of federal campaigns
d.
individual campaign contributions
 

 41. 
In general, the cartoon
a.
suggests it is ironic that candidates take public funds while supporting lower federal spending.
b.
supports federal funding of a large number of candidates.
c.
criticizes the reluctance of the Treasury to allow funding of proper presidential candidates.
d.
supports federal funding for presidential candidates.
 

 42. 
The use of pigs suggests that presidential candidates are
a.
sociable.
b.
using dirty politics.
c.
greedy.
d.
using illegal (unclean) methods.
 

 43. 
The man outside the truck is
a.
handing money back to the United States Treasury official.
b.
gathering legal public funds for presidential candidates.
c.
making a deal with the Treasury official.
d.
stealing money from the United States Treasury.
 

 44. 
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
 

 45. 
Other than giving money directly to candidates, what other legal avenues do PACs have to influence elections?
a.
the wives of candidates
b.
congressional committees
c.
political parties
d.
none of the above
 

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

 47. 
The LEAST democratic method for nominating candidates is the
a.
petition.
b.
caucus.
c.
direct primary.
d.
convention.
 

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

 49. 
If a Republican candidate for governor is proving to be especially popular, which of the following is MOST likely to benefit?
a.
other Republican candidates
b.
Democratic candidates
c.
minor party candidates
d.
the voters
 

 50. 
The Supreme Court’s 2000 ruling on California’s blanket primary found this form of primary to violate the rights of
a.
candidates.
b.
the voters.
c.
political parties.
d.
State election boards.
 

 51. 
A large percentage of the money spent on political campaigns during the 1980s and 1990s came from
a.
unregulated soft money.
b.
preconvention funds.
c.
regulated soft money.
d.
unregulated hard money.
 

 52. 
Laws governing campaign finance have become gradually
a.
less detailed.
b.
more specific and enforced.
c.
more arbitrary.
d.
less intrusive.
 

 53. 
Just as the methods for nominating candidates became gradually more ______, so too did the methods for casting ballots.
a.
corrupt
b.
democratic
c.
reliable
d.
biased
 

 54. 
The nominating process is particularly important in
a.
a dictatorship.
b.
our two-party system.
c.
one-party constituencies.
d.
both b and c
 

 55. 
In 2000, George W. Bush could legally spend more than the FEC limit of $40.5 million in the preconvention period because
a.
he did not accept FEC money during that period.
b.
a minor party candidate had entered the race, thus voiding this FEC limit.
c.
his father was a former President.
d.
his opponent, Al Gore, agreed to the higher limit.
 



 
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