POLITICAL SCIENCE MIDTERM

1.

1 point

The electoral college was designed to

produce a nonpartisan president

select a president based on party affliction

decrease the role of the states in selecting the president

all of the above

2.

1 point

people who vote are generally more highly educated than those that do not

true

false

3.

1 point

in 2002, the reelection rate for incumbents in congress was _____ percent

55

78

60

98

4.

1 point

Franklin Delano Roosevelts new deal democratic coalition included

the south and farmers

racial and ethnic groups

organized labor and big city machines

all of the above

5.

1 point

third parties,once established, tend to survive for several election cycles

false

true

6.

1 point

the average campaign advertisement that airs on television is 4 1/2 minutes

true

false

7.

1 point

elections are a means of legitimating change in democratic political systems

true

false

8.

1 point

congressional elections differ from those for the presidency because

most candidates are not well-known

media attention is acute in congressional races

incumbency is relatively unimportant

many candidates are celeberties

9.

1 point

the most party-oriented means of choosing delegates to the national convention is

winner-take all

proportional representation

through bonus delegates

the caucus

10.

1 point

negative campaigning,including ads, is a relatively new phenomenon

true

false

11.

1 point

among the tasks of a campaign consultant are

overseeing the entire campaign

defining objectives and strategy

fighting battles beside the candidate

all of the above

12.

1 point

approximately _______ percent of eligible voters vote in presidential elections

20-25

50-55

15-20

55-60

13.

1 point

party identification tends to act as a filter for information for voters

true

false

14.

1 point

Senator Joe Lieberman, Al Gore's 2000 vice presidential nominee, was

chosen for his foreign policy experience

picked to add gravitas to the ticket

from a western state to help with geographic balance

the first jewish major party nominee

15.

1 point

party discipline in the United States is

quite strong

nonexistent

cohesive

limited

16.

1 point

a primary in which only a party's registered voters are eligible to participate is called

open primary

blanket primary

closed primary

all of the above

17.

1 point

among proposals to increase voter turnout are changes in rules for

absentee ballots

making election day a holiday

strengthening political parties

all of the above

18.

1 point

Third parties generally have their roots in

sectionalism

economic protest

issues and personalities

all of the above

19.

1 point

government change occurs due to the bullet or ballot

true

false

20.

1 point

the electoral college was designed to select a nonpartisan president

true

false

21.

1 point

popular election of a government serves to

increase the legitmacy of government

legitimize change

fill public offices

all of the above

22.

1 point

in 1971, the voting age was lowered to eighteen by the ______ amendment

17th

29th

26th

18th

23.

1 point

Among those citizens over 60,______% are likely to follow campaigns closely

55

68

35

43

24.

1 point

among those citizens under 30, _______% are likely to follow campaigns closely

33

50

15

25

25.

1 point

parties have been affected, and in general weakened, by

the movement of people to the suburbs

televison

the advent of poltical consultants

all of the above

26.

1 point

the instrument through which parties formulate, convey, and promote public policy is called

the national party platform

legislation

policy formulation

the party banner

27.

1 point

Issue-orientended politics became more prevalent due to

civil service reform and the demise of political machines

broad-based education and social change

changes in suffrage rules

all of the above

28.

1 point

most states use open primaries to nominate candidates for the presidency

true

false

29.

1 point

the head of a political campaign is usually called the

political strategist

political manager

campaign consultant

campaign manger

30.

1 point

the selection of party candidates through the ballots of qualified voters is called a

party caucus

direct primary

party conference

nominating convention

31.

1 point

party chairpersons do a substantial amount of the planning for presidential nominating conventions

true

false

32.

1 point

an important voting trend in the last few years is

ticket-splitting

anti incumbency voting

straight ticket voting

all of the above

33.

1 point

Negative campaigning is

a relatively new phenomena

a modern phenomena that began around the 1930s

a function of television age

not at all new and has been around since at least 1796

34.

1 point

In his farewell address _______ warned the nation against the evil of political parties

george washington

john adams

john quincy adams

thomas jefferson

35.

1 point

many americans believe that the federal government

should not be involved in the election process

should assist states in updating outdated voting equipment

should run all elections

all of the above

36.

1 point

parties provide the poltical system with

instability

stability

unity

coalition

37.

1 point

whites and african americans vote at approximately the same rate

true

false

38.

1 point

delegates to both of the national party conventions are

generally representative of average americans

ideologically more pure and richer than most americans

demographically representative of the population in terms of race,class and gender

younger than the average american

39.

1 point

in general, voter turnout is higher among those who are

older and wealthier

less educated with a moderate income

female

all of the above

40.

1 point

incumbents usually win in congress. when they do not, it is often the fault of redistricting, scandals, or coattail

true

false

41.

1 point

third parties tend to appear and disappear quickly due to

inflexibility on the part of the two major parties

all of the above

ballot access restrictions in many states

proportional representation

42.

1 point

voter turnout in the united states is around 65%

true

false

43.

1 point

the process that allows citizens to propose legislation and submit it to the electorate for popular vote is called

recall

initative

proposition

referendum

44.

1 point

At a basic level, a party is

expected to contest elections

an organization to promote policy changes

a group of office holders, candidates, activists and voters who identify with a group label

all of the above

45.

1 point

the american two-party system was established by the constitution

True

False

46.

1 point

about _____ percent of eligible americans vote in midterm elections

55-60

40-45

65-70

35-40

47.

1 point

once elected, party affiliation is not very meaningful to elected officials

false

true

48.

1 point

campaign contributions from ______ are not limited by law

a candidate's own families' resources

political action committies (PACs)

a combination of parties and PACs

one of the political parties

49.

1 point

The republican party was established in

1854

1840

1832

1820

50.

1 point

the united states is sometimes called a "Democrat's paradise because

the democrats usually control congress

this country conducts more elections than any other country

of high voter turnout

all of the above