Question 1

Because there is barely any time between the end of one campaign and the beginning of the next,some people have called the American electoral process __________.
A) "the endless commercial"
B) "the permanent campaign"
C) "the road to nowhere"
D) "quadruple overtime"

Accepted Answer

"The permanent campaign" accurately describes the fact that, due to the never-ending cycle of elections, candidates and politicians are constantly campaigning, fundraising, and trying to gain support from voters even when there is no official election happening. The other options are not as fitting as they do not capture the continuous nature of the campaign process.

Question 2

The 2012 election was the first time that __________ voted at a higher rather than non-Hispanic whites.
A) young citizens
B) single citizens
C) Hispanics
D) African Americans

Accepted Answer

In the 2012 U.S. presidential election, African Americans voted at a higher rate than non-Hispanic whites for the first time.

Question 3

One impact of the Internet on political campaigns is that __________.
A) fewer people are using the Internet as a source of campaign information
B) fewer people are receiving direct mail from candidates
C) more people are making political donations
D) more people are becoming highly informed about the candidates

Accepted Answer

The Internet has made it easier for political campaigns to solicit and receive donations online. This has led to an increase in the number of people making political donations.

Question 4

A campaign might use __________ to solicit campaign contributions from those who have supported candidates with similar views in the past.
A) soft money
B) caucuses
C) direct mail
D) frontloading

Accepted Answer

Direct mail is a common strategy used by political campaigns to solicit campaign contributions from individuals who have supported candidates with similar views in the past. The campaign sends out targeted mailings to potential donors, highlighting the candidate's platform and asking for contributions. This method is often more cost-effective than traditional fundraising events and can help a campaign reach a wider audience.

Question 5

The Democratic and Republican candidates for president are formally nominated by the __________.
A) national party committees
B) presidential primaries and caucuses
C) Electoral College
D) national party conventions

Accepted Answer

The Democratic and Republican candidates for president are formally nominated by their respective national party conventions, which occur in the summer before the general election in November. The conventions bring together delegates from each state who have been chosen through the primary and caucus process to formally nominate the party's presidential candidate.

Question 6

If no candidate receives an Electoral College majority,the election is decided in the __________.
A) Senate
B) House of Representatives
C) Elections and Campaigns Committee
D) Supreme Court

Accepted Answer

According to the 12th Amendment of the US Constitution, if no candidate receives a majority of the Electoral College votes, the election is then decided in the House of Representatives. Each state's delegation gets one vote and the candidate with a majority of the state votes wins the election.

Question 7

According to exit poll data,which of the following group's members were least likely to vote for Barack Obama in 2012?
A) Jews
B) Hispanics
C) younger voters
D) whites

Accepted Answer

In the 2012 election, Barack Obama received less support from white voters compared to other groups like Jews, Hispanics, and younger voters.

Question 8

One of the biggest challenges facing Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign was overcoming __________.
A) the faltering economy
B) the unpopularity of the war in Afghanistan
C) restrictions on corporate spending in elections
D) the decline in support from African Americans

Accepted Answer

The faltering economy was a major challenge for Obama's 2012 reelection campaign. The country was in the midst of a slow economic recovery, with high unemployment rates and slow job growth. Obama had to convince voters that his policies were creating jobs and that the economy was on the path to recovery.

Question 9

Which of the following is true about states with caucuses?
A) Voters attend open meetings where they express their presidential preferences.
B) The state legislature selects the state's delegates to the national conventions.
C) Party officials select delegates according to their own preferences.
D) Candidates appoint supporters to serve as delegates who are then chosen by the voters to serve as electors during the general election.

Accepted Answer

States with caucuses require voters to attend open meetings where they express their preferences for presidential candidates through a series of discussions and voting rounds. In contrast to primaries, where voters cast secret ballots, caucuses involve public discussions and negotiations, allowing voters to influence each other's choices.

Question 10

What do voters find to be the three most important dimensions of a candidate's image?
A) vim, vigor, and vitality
B) efficacy, civic duty, and trust
C) integrity, reliability, and competence
D) honesty, loyalty, and policy positions

Accepted Answer

Integrity relates to the honesty and overall ethical values of a candidate, reliability refers to their dependability and consistency, and competence relates to their ability to successfully carry out the duties of the office they are seeking. These three dimensions are considered the most important by voters in determining a candidate's image. Vim, vigor, vitality, efficacy, civic duty, trust, honesty, loyalty, and policy positions are also important factors, but they are not typically considered the top three.

Question 11

Which of the following is a cost of voting?
A) political efficacy
B) civic duty
C) becoming informed
D) gender

Accepted Answer

Becoming informed about the candidates and issues takes time and effort, which can be seen as a cost of voting. Political efficacy, civic duty, and gender are not necessarily costs of voting.

Question 12

Prior to being banned in 2002 by the McCain-Feingold Act,unlimited monetary contributions that were earmarked for party-building expenses at the grassroots level or for generic party advertising were known as __________.
A) hard money
B) soft money
C) matching funds
D) support funds

Accepted Answer

Unlimited monetary contributions that were earmarked for party-building expenses at the grassroots level or for generic party advertising were known as soft money.

Question 13

In 2012,the amount an individual could legally contribute to a candidate's campaign was __________.
A) $100
B) $1,000
C) $2,500
D) $25,000

Accepted Answer

In 2012, the amount an individual could legally contribute to a candidate's campaign was $2,500.

Question 14

Researchers studying campaigns stress that campaigns can have what three effects on voters?
A) selection, application, and alteration
B) reinforcement, alteration, and adaptation
C) activation, fortification, and collection
D) reinforcement, activation, and conversion

Accepted Answer

The three effects that campaigns can have on voters are reinforcement (strengthening preexisting attitudes and beliefs), activation (motivating previously inactive voters to participate), and conversion (changing voters' attitudes and beliefs).

Question 15

In 2012,voter turnout was highest for members of which of the following groups?
A) women
B) those 24 years old or younger
C) non-Hispanic whites
D) those with an advanced degree (beyond a college degree)

Accepted Answer

The answer of In 2012,voter turnout was highest for members...

Question 16

What is the most common reason given for not voting by U.S.citizens who are registered to vote?
A) The candidates are too similar.
B) One vote doesn't carry much weight.
C) It's hard to take time off of work or school.
D) None of the candidates is appealing.

Accepted Answer

Many registered voters cite scheduling conflicts, such as work or school commitments, as the most common reason for not voting.

Question 17

What 2012 candidate lost momentum when he could not remember the names of the three federal cabinet departments he would eliminate?
A) Mitt Romney
B) Rick Perry
C) Rick Santorum
D) Jon Huntsman

Accepted Answer

During a November 2011 Republican presidential debate, Rick Perry announced his plan to eliminate three federal agencies but could not remember the names of all three. He stated, "I will tell you, it’s three agencies of government when I get there that are gone: Commerce, Education, and the – what’s the third one there? Let’s see." He later admitted he couldn't remember the third one and said, "Oops." This was considered a major gaffe and ultimately hurt his campaign momentum.

Question 18

In which of the following countries is voter turnout lowest?
A) Australia
B) Belgium
C) United States
D) Denmark

Accepted Answer

The United States has historically had lower voter turnout compared to other democracies, with an average turnout of around 55-60% in presidential elections and even lower in midterm elections. Countries like Australia, Belgium, and Denmark tend to have higher voter turnout rates.

Question 19

How did the McGovern-Fraser Commission make the delegate selection process of the Democratic Party more representative and open to input from the public?
A) by requiring delegate selection procedures to be open to all party members
B) by increasing the number of delegates chosen
C) by weakening the power of registered party members to choose convention delegates
D) by encouraging the use of presidential caucuses rather than primaries

Accepted Answer

The McGovern-Fraser Commission required delegate selection procedures to be open to all party members, making the process more representative and open to input from the public. This allowed for a more democratic selection of convention delegates, rather than relying solely on the opinions of registered party members.

Question 20

To run an effective campaign,a candidate needs __________.
A) several campaign managers
B) a skilled embezzler
C) a travel agent
D) volunteers

Accepted Answer

Volunteers are the backbone of any campaign. They are the ones who will help with canvassing, phone banking, organizing events, and spreading the word about the candidate. Having a dedicated group of volunteers can make or break a campaign. While having campaign managers, skilled embezzlers, and travel agents can be helpful, they are not essential to running an effective campaign.

Quiz 9: Campaigns and Voting Behavior

Because there is barely any time between the end of one campaign and the beginning of the next,some people have called the American electoral process __________.

The 2012 election was the first time that __________ voted at a higher rather than non-Hispanic whites.

One impact of the Internet on political campaigns is that __________.

A campaign might use __________ to solicit campaign contributions from those who have supported candidates with similar views in the past.

The Democratic and Republican candidates for president are formally nominated by the __________.

If no candidate receives an Electoral College majority,the election is decided in the __________.

According to exit poll data,which of the following group's members were least likely to vote for Barack Obama in 2012?

One of the biggest challenges facing Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign was overcoming __________.

Which of the following is true about states with caucuses?

What do voters find to be the three most important dimensions of a candidate's image?

Which of the following is a cost of voting?

Prior to being banned in 2002 by the McCain-Feingold Act,unlimited monetary contributions that were earmarked for party-building expenses at the grassroots level or for generic party advertising were known as __________.

In 2012,the amount an individual could legally contribute to a candidate's campaign was __________.

Researchers studying campaigns stress that campaigns can have what three effects on voters?

In 2012,voter turnout was highest for members of which of the following groups?

What is the most common reason given for not voting by U.S.citizens who are registered to vote?

What 2012 candidate lost momentum when he could not remember the names of the three federal cabinet departments he would eliminate?

In which of the following countries is voter turnout lowest?

How did the McGovern-Fraser Commission make the delegate selection process of the Democratic Party more representative and open to input from the public?

To run an effective campaign,a candidate needs __________.