Question 1

All of the following are true EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A) most state legislators are white males, businessmen, or lawyers. 
B) most state legislators have previous political experience. 
C) state legislators tend to have more education and higher incomes. 
D) there has been an increase in the percentage of teachers, retirees, and students serving in state legislatures. 
E) most state legislators are full-time legislators. 
A) most state legislators are white males, businessmen, or lawyers. 
B) most state legislators have previous political experience. 
C) state legislators tend to have more education and higher incomes. 
D) there has been an increase in the percentage of teachers, retirees, and students serving in state legislatures. 
E) most state legislators are full-time legislators.

Question 2

Which of the following states allows neither referendum nor initiative?

Accepted Answer

A) Arizona 
B) Kentucky 
C) Oklahoma 
D) Montana 
E) Wisconsin 
A) Arizona 
B) Kentucky 
C) Oklahoma 
D) Montana 
E) Wisconsin

Question 3

Which of the following states was among the earliest to enact term limits for state legislators?

Accepted Answer

A) Oklahoma 
B) Louisiana 
C) Nebraska 
D) Nevada 
E) Maine 
A) Oklahoma 
B) Louisiana 
C) Nebraska 
D) Nevada 
E) Maine

Question 4

The text cites two sources of lobbyists' influence.What are they?

Accepted Answer

A) Information and campaign support 
B) Business experience and legal knowledge 
C) Friendships and "the dirt" on opponents 
D) Charm and personality 
E) "Connections" and personality 
A) Information and campaign support 
B) Business experience and legal knowledge 
C) Friendships and "the dirt" on opponents 
D) Charm and personality 
E) "Connections" and personality

Question 5

The most talked-about legislative "reform" in the 1990s was

Accepted Answer

A) longer terms for state representatives. 
B) increased veto powers for governors. 
C) term limits. 
D) unicameralism. 
E) gerrymandering. 
A) longer terms for state representatives. 
B) increased veto powers for governors. 
C) term limits. 
D) unicameralism. 
E) gerrymandering.

Question 6

How many of the nation's state legislators (after the 2008 elections) consider themselves Independents?

Accepted Answer

A) 49 
B) 70 
C) 73 
D) 81 
E) 111 
A) 49 
B) 70 
C) 73 
D) 81 
E) 111

Question 7

A bicameral legislature has two houses.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

In about how many states is the party caucus NOT a principal instrument for legislative decision making?

Accepted Answer

A) 5 
B) 15 
C) 25 
D) 35 
E) 45 
A) 5 
B) 15 
C) 25 
D) 35 
E) 45

Question 9

Which of the following is a strength for an incumbent running for reelection?

Accepted Answer

A) Name recognition 
B) Better access to campaign funds 
C) Experience in campaigning 
D) All of the above 
E) None of the above 
A) Name recognition 
B) Better access to campaign funds 
C) Experience in campaigning 
D) All of the above 
E) None of the above

Question 10

In what case did the Supreme Court announce that "as nearly as practicable one man's vote in a congressional election is to be worth as much as another's"?

Accepted Answer

A) Wesberry v.Sanders 
B) Brown v.Board of Education 
C) Jones v.Georgia 
D) Davis v.California Secretary of State's Office 
E) Smith v.Allwright 
A) Wesberry v.Sanders 
B) Brown v.Board of Education 
C) Jones v.Georgia 
D) Davis v.California Secretary of State's Office 
E) Smith v.Allwright

Question 11

To illustrate the varied ways in which state legislators interact and conduct politics, the text cites an example that compares New York and Virginia.The New York legislature is characterized as one in which "political wheeling and dealing and frantic activity" are common.Virginia is described as one in which

Accepted Answer

A) things are "intensely partisan." 
B) things are "mainly individualistic." 
C) you get "a sense of tradition, conservatism, and gentility." 
D) one experiences "tough ethnic politics." 
E) "the Irish dominate." 
A) things are "intensely partisan." 
B) things are "mainly individualistic." 
C) you get "a sense of tradition, conservatism, and gentility." 
D) one experiences "tough ethnic politics." 
E) "the Irish dominate."

Question 12

On what basis has the U.S.Supreme Court put restraints on the implementation of majority-minority districts?

Accepted Answer

A) The resulting districts would become so geographically odd that representatives would not be able to easily travel through their districts. 
B) The resulting districts would favor Republican more than Democratic candidates. 
C) The resulting districts would favor Democratic more than Republican candidates. 
D) The resulting districts would effectively remove Independent or other third-party candidates from competition. 
E) Though state legislatures may take race into account, if it becomes the overriding motive in drawing districts then white voters' constitutional rights would be violated. 
A) The resulting districts would become so geographically odd that representatives would not be able to easily travel through their districts. 
B) The resulting districts would favor Republican more than Democratic candidates. 
C) The resulting districts would favor Democratic more than Republican candidates. 
D) The resulting districts would effectively remove Independent or other third-party candidates from competition. 
E) Though state legislatures may take race into account, if it becomes the overriding motive in drawing districts then white voters' constitutional rights would be violated.

Question 13

In Reynolds v.Sims (1964) the Supreme Court ruled that

Accepted Answer

A) districts for the U.S.House of Representatives were permitted to be malapportioned. 
B) malapportionment was allowed if states did so to increase the likelihood of minorities getting elected to the legislature. 
C) redistricting had to be conducted by independent commissions. 
D) poll taxes could not be imposed for state legislative elections. 
E) even state senates were subject to equal population requirements for their districts. 
A) districts for the U.S.House of Representatives were permitted to be malapportioned. 
B) malapportionment was allowed if states did so to increase the likelihood of minorities getting elected to the legislature. 
C) redistricting had to be conducted by independent commissions. 
D) poll taxes could not be imposed for state legislative elections. 
E) even state senates were subject to equal population requirements for their districts.

Question 14

Thirty-five states have instituted term limits for state legislators.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

The most common profession of members of state legislatures is

Accepted Answer

A) farmer/rancher. 
B) attorney. 
C) teacher. 
D) business owner or manager. 
E) minister. 
A) farmer/rancher. 
B) attorney. 
C) teacher. 
D) business owner or manager. 
E) minister.

Question 16

If you were a typical lobbyist, which of the following would you be most unlikely to do as part of your job?

Accepted Answer

A) Testify in committees 
B) Meet with lawmakers one-on-one 
C) Organize meetings with legislators 
D) Stage rallies 
E) Determine the kinds of gifts you can give particular legislators to secure their support 
A) Testify in committees 
B) Meet with lawmakers one-on-one 
C) Organize meetings with legislators 
D) Stage rallies 
E) Determine the kinds of gifts you can give particular legislators to secure their support

Question 17

Which state does NOT require a referendum for the ratification of a constitutional amendment?

Accepted Answer

A) Florida 
B) Nebraska 
C) Montana 
D) Delaware 
E) California 
A) Florida 
B) Nebraska 
C) Montana 
D) Delaware 
E) California

Question 18

As of 2008, approximately what percent of state legislators were women?

Accepted Answer

A) 62% 
B) 24% 
C) 5% 
D) 38% 
E) 12% 
A) 62% 
B) 24% 
C) 5% 
D) 38% 
E) 12%

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a typical role or function of state legislatures?

Accepted Answer

A) Passing laws 
B) Approving state appropriations 
C) Impeaching and trying state officials 
D) Proposing amendments to state constitutions 
E) Enforcing national regulations 
A) Passing laws 
B) Approving state appropriations 
C) Impeaching and trying state officials 
D) Proposing amendments to state constitutions 
E) Enforcing national regulations

Question 20

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population, is called

Accepted Answer

A) reapportionment. 
B) gerrymandering. 
C) shifting. 
D) redistricting. 
E) lobbying. 
A) reapportionment. 
B) gerrymandering. 
C) shifting. 
D) redistricting. 
E) lobbying.

Exam 24: State Legislatures

All of the following are true EXCEPT

Which of the following states allows neither referendum nor initiative?

Which of the following states was among the earliest to enact term limits for state legislators?

The text cites two sources of lobbyists' influence.What are they?

The most talked-about legislative "reform" in the 1990s was

How many of the nation's state legislators (after the 2008 elections) consider themselves Independents?

A bicameral legislature has two houses.

In about how many states is the party caucus NOT a principal instrument for legislative decision making?

Which of the following is a strength for an incumbent running for reelection?

In what case did the Supreme Court announce that "as nearly as practicable one man's vote in a congressional election is to be worth as much as another's"?

On what basis has the U.S.Supreme Court put restraints on the implementation of majority-minority districts?

In Reynolds v.Sims (1964) the Supreme Court ruled that

Thirty-five states have instituted term limits for state legislators.

The most common profession of members of state legislatures is

If you were a typical lobbyist, which of the following would you be most unlikely to do as part of your job?

Which state does NOT require a referendum for the ratification of a constitutional amendment?

As of 2008, approximately what percent of state legislators were women?

Which of the following is NOT a typical role or function of state legislatures?

The redrawing of congressional and other legislative district lines following the census, to accommodate population shifts and keep districts as equal as possible in population, is called

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