Question 1

Which of the following statements accurately describes the percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections since 1960?

Accepted Answer

A)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections dropped significantly after 1960 but has been increasing in recent years. 
B)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections rose dramatically after 1960 but has been declining in recent years. 
C)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections rose dramatically after 1960 and has continued growing exponentially in recent years. 
D)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections dropped dramatically after 1960 and has continued dropping in recent years. 
E)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections has remained level since 1960. 
A)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections dropped significantly after 1960 but has been increasing in recent years. 
B)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections rose dramatically after 1960 but has been declining in recent years. 
C)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections rose dramatically after 1960 and has continued growing exponentially in recent years. 
D)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections dropped dramatically after 1960 and has continued dropping in recent years. 
E)  The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections has remained level since 1960.

Question 2

Religious groups have acted as important institutions of political mobilization over the past two decades.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

What was the main cause for dropping the legal voting age to eighteen?

Accepted Answer

A)  Young American citizens effectively organized and protested for the right to vote. 
B)  It had been one of the civil rights movement's important goals. 
C)  The Constitution mandated that the draft age be equivalent to the voting age. 
D)  Government officials hoped it would lead to a decline in disruptive student protests. 
E)  A decision by the Supreme Court ruled that voting requirements based on age were unconstitutional. 
A)  Young American citizens effectively organized and protested for the right to vote. 
B)  It had been one of the civil rights movement's important goals. 
C)  The Constitution mandated that the draft age be equivalent to the voting age. 
D)  Government officials hoped it would lead to a decline in disruptive student protests. 
E)  A decision by the Supreme Court ruled that voting requirements based on age were unconstitutional.

Question 4

The power of the Christian Coalition in the 1990s was due to

Accepted Answer

A)  its ability to donate large sums of money to candidates. 
B)  its success in mobilizing a large grassroots base. 
C)  the number of its members who were elected to political office. 
D)  its close alignment with the Democratic Party. 
E)  the number of its members who were appointed to the federal judiciary. 
A)  its ability to donate large sums of money to candidates. 
B)  its success in mobilizing a large grassroots base. 
C)  the number of its members who were elected to political office. 
D)  its close alignment with the Democratic Party. 
E)  the number of its members who were appointed to the federal judiciary.

Question 5

Women are more likely than men to vote for Republicans.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Which of the following is not a traditional form of political activity?

Accepted Answer

A)  protests 
B)  contributing to a candidate 
C)  litigation 
D)  voting 
E)  visiting a candidate's website 
A)  protests 
B)  contributing to a candidate 
C)  litigation 
D)  voting 
E)  visiting a candidate's website

Question 7

Studies have discovered ______ to be the key element of successful mobilization efforts.

Accepted Answer

A)  personal contact 
B)  direct mailings 
C)  extensive use of phone banks 
D)  advertising in local media 
E)  e-mail newsletters 
A)  personal contact 
B)  direct mailings 
C)  extensive use of phone banks 
D)  advertising in local media 
E)  e-mail newsletters

Question 8

Over the past decade, polls have revealed that Asian American voters are moving

Accepted Answer

A)  toward the Republican Party. 
B)  toward the Democratic Party. 
C)  away from all forms of partisan identity. 
D)  toward the Green Party. 
E)  toward newly formed political parties that focus entirely on Asian American political issues. 
A)  toward the Republican Party. 
B)  toward the Democratic Party. 
C)  away from all forms of partisan identity. 
D)  toward the Green Party. 
E)  toward newly formed political parties that focus entirely on Asian American political issues.

Question 9

What bloc of voters has recently been called "the sleeping giant"?

Accepted Answer

A)  African Americans 
B)  Latinos 
C)  Asian Americans 
D)  middle-class whites 
E)  upper-class whites 
A)  African Americans 
B)  Latinos 
C)  Asian Americans 
D)  middle-class whites 
E)  upper-class whites

Question 10

Which of the following statements about voting rights is correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  Many states have laws restricting the voting rights of persons convicted of felonies. 
B)  Laws passed by Congress prevent the abridgement of a felon's voting rights. 
C)  According to the Supreme Court, the Constitution prevents felons from having their right to vote limited due to their criminal status. 
D)  According to the Supreme Court, the Constitution requires that felons have their right to vote limited due to their criminal status. 
E)  Even though prison inmates cannot vote, federal law states that an ex-con's voting rights cannot be restricted. 
A)  Many states have laws restricting the voting rights of persons convicted of felonies. 
B)  Laws passed by Congress prevent the abridgement of a felon's voting rights. 
C)  According to the Supreme Court, the Constitution prevents felons from having their right to vote limited due to their criminal status. 
D)  According to the Supreme Court, the Constitution requires that felons have their right to vote limited due to their criminal status. 
E)  Even though prison inmates cannot vote, federal law states that an ex-con's voting rights cannot be restricted.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about political parties is correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  During the nineteenth century, political parties employed hundreds of thousands of workers to organize and mobilize voters. 
B)  During the nineteenth century, political parties were more interested in fund-raising than in organizing and mobilizing voters. 
C)  During the late twentieth century, political parties organized and mobilized a larger percentage of voters than at any other point in American history. 
D)  Political parties have never attempted to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate the Constitution. 
E)  Since 2000, political parties have ended efforts to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate federal campaign finance laws. 
A)  During the nineteenth century, political parties employed hundreds of thousands of workers to organize and mobilize voters. 
B)  During the nineteenth century, political parties were more interested in fund-raising than in organizing and mobilizing voters. 
C)  During the late twentieth century, political parties organized and mobilized a larger percentage of voters than at any other point in American history. 
D)  Political parties have never attempted to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate the Constitution. 
E)  Since 2000, political parties have ended efforts to organize and mobilize voters because doing so would violate federal campaign finance laws.

Question 12

Political ______ is the process in which large numbers of people are organized for political action.

Accepted Answer

A)  socialization 
B)  mobilization 
C)  saliency 
D)  citizenship 
E)  efficacy 
A)  socialization 
B)  mobilization 
C)  saliency 
D)  citizenship 
E)  efficacy

Question 13

The Supreme Court

Accepted Answer

A)  has ruled that excessive campaign contributions must be strongly regulated by Congress since the electoral process may be in danger of becoming corrupted. 
B)  has ruled that campaign spending is a form of free speech. 
C)  has ruled that it is illegal for candidates to spend more than $10,000 of their own money to run for office. 
D)  has ruled that candidates cannot solicit campaign contributions from supporters but can receive them if they are unsolicited. 
E)  has made no comment pertaining to the issue of campaign contributions. 
A)  has ruled that excessive campaign contributions must be strongly regulated by Congress since the electoral process may be in danger of becoming corrupted. 
B)  has ruled that campaign spending is a form of free speech. 
C)  has ruled that it is illegal for candidates to spend more than $10,000 of their own money to run for office. 
D)  has ruled that candidates cannot solicit campaign contributions from supporters but can receive them if they are unsolicited. 
E)  has made no comment pertaining to the issue of campaign contributions.

Question 14

The main goal of the group Rock the Vote is to

Accepted Answer

A)  encourage increased voting by musicians. 
B)  draw young voters into participating politically. 
C)  encourage states to use voting machines with paper ballots. 
D)  register more Latino voters. 
E)  eliminate voter fraud. 
A)  encourage increased voting by musicians. 
B)  draw young voters into participating politically. 
C)  encourage states to use voting machines with paper ballots. 
D)  register more Latino voters. 
E)  eliminate voter fraud.

Question 15

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws will

Accepted Answer

A)  decrease voter turnout among younger people. 
B)  decrease voter turnout among older people. 
C)  decrease voter turnout among all voters. 
D)  increase voter turnout among younger people. 
E)  have no effect on voter turnout among any group. 
A)  decrease voter turnout among younger people. 
B)  decrease voter turnout among older people. 
C)  decrease voter turnout among all voters. 
D)  increase voter turnout among younger people. 
E)  have no effect on voter turnout among any group.

Question 16

What are some of the formal barriers to suffrage that have existed in American politics over the years to prevent the poor, women, and racial minorities from exercising the franchise? What specifically were the remedies that expanded the right to vote for American citizens?

Accepted Answer

Some of the formal barriers to suffrage

Question 17

What is a poll tax?

Accepted Answer

A)  a tax that states impose on all citizens in order to pay for public opinion research 
B)  a fee that political parties charge people who want to become members and vote in their elections 
C)  a tax imposed by state governments for those registering to vote 
D)  a tax women had to pay if they wanted to vote in the nineteenth century 
E)  a tax the federal government charged to state governments in order to pay for the costs of running a federal election. 
A)  a tax that states impose on all citizens in order to pay for public opinion research 
B)  a fee that political parties charge people who want to become members and vote in their elections 
C)  a tax imposed by state governments for those registering to vote 
D)  a tax women had to pay if they wanted to vote in the nineteenth century 
E)  a tax the federal government charged to state governments in order to pay for the costs of running a federal election.

Question 18

Which of the following have political parties been doing less of in recent years?

Accepted Answer

A)  fund-raising 
B)  advertising 
C)  mobilizing voters 
D)  nominating candidates 
E)  presenting party platforms 
A)  fund-raising 
B)  advertising 
C)  mobilizing voters 
D)  nominating candidates 
E)  presenting party platforms

Which of the following statements accurately describes the percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections since 1960?

Religious groups have acted as important institutions of political mobilization over the past two decades.

What was the main cause for dropping the legal voting age to eighteen?

The power of the Christian Coalition in the 1990s was due to

Women are more likely than men to vote for Republicans.

Which of the following is not a traditional form of political activity?

Studies have discovered ______ to be the key element of successful mobilization efforts.

Over the past decade, polls have revealed that Asian American voters are moving

What bloc of voters has recently been called "the sleeping giant"?

Which of the following statements about voting rights is correct?

Which of the following statements about political parties is correct?

Political ______ is the process in which large numbers of people are organized for political action.

The Supreme Court

The main goal of the group Rock the Vote is to

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws will

What are some of the formal barriers to suffrage that have existed in American politics over the years to prevent the poor, women, and racial minorities from exercising the franchise? What specifically were the remedies that expanded the right to vote for American citizens?

What is a poll tax?

Which of the following have political parties been doing less of in recent years?

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Filters

Exam 8: Political Participation and Voting

Which of the following statements accurately describes the percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections since 1960?

Religious groups have acted as important institutions of political mobilization over the past two decades.

What was the main cause for dropping the legal voting age to eighteen?

The power of the Christian Coalition in the 1990s was due to

Women are more likely than men to vote for Republicans.

Which of the following is not a traditional form of political activity?

Studies have discovered ______ to be the key element of successful mobilization efforts.

Over the past decade, polls have revealed that Asian American voters are moving

What bloc of voters has recently been called "the sleeping giant"?

Which of the following statements about voting rights is correct?

Which of the following statements about political parties is correct?

Political ______ is the process in which large numbers of people are organized for political action.

The Supreme Court

The main goal of the group Rock the Vote is to

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws will

What are some of the formal barriers to suffrage that have existed in American politics over the years to prevent the poor, women, and racial minorities from exercising the franchise? What specifically were the remedies that expanded the right to vote for American citizens?

What is a poll tax?

Which of the following have political parties been doing less of in recent years?

American Political Culture

The Founding and the Constitution

Federalism

Civil Liberties

Civil Rights

Public Opinion

The Media

Political Parties

Campaigns and Elections

Groups and Interests

Congress

The Presidency

Bureaucracy in a Democracy

The Federal Courts

Filters