Question 1

Once a candidate decides to run for president, he or she enters what has been called the__________. No votes are cast, but candidates are jockeying for position so they can be ready to do well in the initial primaries and caucuses.

Accepted Answer

The "invisible primary" refers to the period before the actual primaries and caucuses where candidates position themselves, gather support, and raise funds without any formal voting taking place.

Question 2

The requirements that are in place to receive public financing during presidential nomination campaigns discourage _________ from running.

Accepted Answer

The requirements that are in place to receive public financing during presidential nomination campaigns discourage third-party candidates from running.

Question 3

At the party conventions, the __________ is formally adopted, laying out the plan for government.

Accepted Answer

The party platform is formally adopted at party conventions and outlines the party's principles, goals, and plans for government.

Question 4

Since the first televised presidential debate, candidates and campaign insiders have mostly viewed debates as more likely being ______ for their candidate.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Since the first televised presidential debate, candidates...

Question 5

One of the consequences of the Court's ruling in  Citizens United v. FEC  was the rise of _________, which can raise unlimited funds from such groups as: corporations, unions, and individuals.

Accepted Answer

The Citizens United v. FEC ruling led to the creation of Super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, and individuals for political campaigns, as long as they do not coordinate directly with candidates or parties.

Question 6

Today, U.S. citizens directly elect

Accepted Answer

U.S. citizens directly elect senators, members of the House of Representatives, governors, and state legislators.

Question 7

Currently, most states favor some form of _______ election.

Accepted Answer

Most states in the U.S. favor some form of primary election, where voters select candidates for a general election.

Question 8

When political parties redraw district lines in order to benefit one political party over another, it is called

Accepted Answer

Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing district boundaries to favor one political party over another.

Question 9

Who monitors campaign finance?

Accepted Answer

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is responsible for monitoring and enforcing campaign finance laws in the United States.

Question 10

In 1971, Congress tried to put candidates on an equal financial footing and make them less beholden to special interests through the

Accepted Answer

The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 was designed to regulate campaign financing and reduce the influence of special interests by setting limits on contributions and expenditures in federal elections.

Question 11

If neither a sitting president nor vice president is seeking their party's nomination, the nomination is said to be

Accepted Answer

When neither a sitting president nor vice president is seeking their party's nomination, the nomination is referred to as "open," meaning there is no incumbent running for re-election, allowing for a competitive primary process.

Question 12

The__________ caucus, the nation's first and most famous caucus, requires that people attend a meeting of about two hours in which they indicate their preferences and then try to convince those who are undecided to join their candidate's group.

Accepted Answer

The reference to the "nation's first and most famous caucus" points to Iowa, as it has held the first caucus in the presidential primary season since 1972. The other options are states that hold primaries rather than caucuses, or do not hold early contests in the primary season.

Question 13

States that are not clearly reliable to vote for one of the two major political parties are referred to as _______.

Accepted Answer

Swing states are those that do not consistently vote for one party and can be won by either major party in an election.

Question 14

The first televised presidential debate was between

Accepted Answer

The first televised presidential debate was between John Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960.

Question 15

Many have expressed concern over what has been called the__________, a worry that politicians, especially presidents, spend too much time working toward reelection and not enough time governing.

Accepted Answer

The "permanent campaign" refers to the idea that politicians, especially presidents, spend too much time working toward reelection and not enough time governing.

Question 16

Although there is a high level of partisanship in the American electorate, ________, people who do not fall into either the Republican or Democratic camp, still exist.

Accepted Answer

Swing voters are individuals who do not consistently align with a single political party and can be persuaded to vote for either major party, thus not falling strictly into the Republican or Democratic camp.

Question 17

Depending on patterns of population growth or decline, states win or lose congressional seats with each new census. State legislatures are responsible for drawing the district lines, in a process known as

Accepted Answer

Redistricting is the process of drawing electoral district boundaries, typically done by state legislatures, to reflect changes in population and ensure equal representation.

Question 18

Since the Court's ruling in  McCutcheon v. FEC, individuals have ________ on the number of campaigns to which they can contribute.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court's decision in McCutcheon v. FEC removed the aggregate limits on the number of campaigns to which an individual can contribute, meaning there is no limit on the number of campaigns.

Question 19

Starting with Washington, presidential candidates wanted to appear ____________ through the early nineteenth century.

Accepted Answer

Presidential candidates in the early nineteenth century, starting with Washington, often wanted to appear aloof and above the fray of the campaign to maintain a dignified and statesmanlike image.

Question 20

Today, presidential debates and vice-presidential debates are managed by the nonpartisan, nonprofit __________, which was established in 1987.

Accepted Answer

The Commission on Presidential Debates is the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established in 1987 to manage presidential and vice-presidential debates.

Quiz 10: Elections and Campaigns