Chapter 10: Campaigns and Elections: Candidates and Voters in an Era of Demographic Change

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. ______ are tools by which the American political system chooses its representatives, presidents, senators, and members of Congress.

a. Local initiatives

b. Political caucuses

c. National elections

d. Party primaries

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: National Elections Serve to Hold Officials Accountable, But Regulating Them Is Not Always Easy

Difficulty Level: Easy

2. Campaigns and elections are both composed of many ______.

a. political ambitions

b. moving parts

c. democratic ideals

d. republican objectives

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: National Elections Serve to Hold Officials Accountable, But Regulating Them Is Not Always Easy

Difficulty Level: Easy

3. The focus of this chapter is on the ability of presidential and congressional candidates in the election of 2016 to capture the votes of ______.

a. rich contributors

b. African Americans

c. demographic subgroups

d. Latinos and Latinas

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Introduction

Difficulty Level: Easy

4. Which of the following is considered the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States?

a. White Americans

b. African Americans

c. Hispanic Americans

d. Asian Americans

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Presidential Candidates Address Latino Voters in 2016

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. In order to impact current and future elections, Latinas and Latinos must ______.

a. speak with a coordinated voice

b. formally organize into a political party

c. activate from potential to actual voters

d. celebrate their common ethnic origins

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Presidential Candidates Address Latino Voters in 2016

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. In the Republican race of 2016, there were ______ Latino candidates running, while in the Democratic race, there were ______.

a. three; one

b. two; none

c. five; seven

d. three; five

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Republican Hopefuls Adopt Very Different Approaches

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. The Latino candidates for the Republican nomination in 2016 shared which of the following Latino heritages?

a. Mexican American

b. Puerto Rican

c. Cuban American

d. Columbian

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Republican Hopefuls Adopt Very Different Approaches

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Two challenges faced by Senators Cruz and Rubio in the 2016 presidential election as they reached out to Latina and Latino voters were their ______.

a. identity as “Hispanics” and the diversity of their viewpoints

b. ethnic roots and their ability to connect with other Hispanics

c. Cuban American heritage and their connection with Mexican Americans

d. misidentification as truly “Hispanic” and their lack of connection with the Cuban American community

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Republican Hopefuls Adopt Very Different Approaches

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. A perceived problem with Republican Hispanic candidates in 2016 was their viewpoint on the issue of ______.

a. health care

b. education

c. immigration

d. drugs

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Republican Hopefuls Adopt Very Different Approaches

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. Which of the following statements correctly describes the relationship between redistricting and gerrymandering?

a. They are synonyms for the same political concept.

b. Gerrymandering is a specific type of redistricting.

c. Redistricting is a particular type of gerrymandering.

d. Redistricting applies to the House seats as gerrymandering applies to the Senate.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Redistricting and Gerrymandering Shape Constituencies and Elections in House Races

Difficulty Level: Hard

11. Which of the following is NOT a primary factor contributing to a candidate winning a congressional election?

a. successful fundraising

b. endorsement from influential political figures

c. having early momentum

d. having different demographic characteristics than the majority population of the candidate’s district

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.4: Explore the role that incumbency plays in candidates’ campaign decisions.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Jumping in at the Right Time; Securing Money and Endorsements

Difficulty Level: Easy

12. In December 2015, the Democratic Party presidential forerunner was likening herself to a Hispanic ______, which is translated as “grandmother.”

a. madre

b. tia

c. abuela

d. padre

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Democratic Hopefuls Face Their Own Challenges

Difficulty Level: Medium

13. Hillary Clinton’s strategy to reach out to Hispanic voters was highly criticized in ______.

a. social media

b. newspapers

c. rallies

d. talk shows

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Democratic Hopefuls Face Their Own Challenges

Difficulty Level: Medium

14. The grouping of individuals based on shared characteristics such as ancestry, race, ethnicity, and gender is known as ______.

a. petrographics

b. heliographics

c. reprographics

d. demographics

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Demographic Changes in the American Electorate Will Impact Future Political Campaigns

Difficulty Level: Medium

15. The greatest force behind changing demographics in the United States is in the ______ population.

a. African American

b. Asian American

c. Hispanic American

d. Caucasian American

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Demographic Changes in the American Electorate Will Impact Future Political Campaigns

Difficulty Level: Medium

16. The Republican Growth and Opportunity Project report has also been labeled as the ______.

a. “demographic outline”

b. “autopsy report”

c. “postelection analysis”

d. “Hispanic growth projection”

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Medium

17. At the end of the 2012 election cycle, Republicans recognized they ______.

a. are solely dependent upon the White American vote

b. must appeal to all cultural subgroups for continued success

c. are a culturally homogeneous party and must act accordingly

d. must capture a larger percentage of Hispanic voters in the future

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Medium

18. Compared to other democracies in the world, Americans get to exercise their right to vote with ______.

a. a comparable frequency

b. a much lower frequency

c. a much higher frequency

d. a frequency that cannot be compared

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Medium

19. Unlike in parliamentary systems, American elections are notable for the fact that they occur on ______.

a. unpredictable schedules

b. fixed and predictable schedules

c. the demand of citizens

d. the call of state legislatures

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: National Elections Serve to Hold Officials Accountable, But Regulating Them Is Not Always Easy

Difficulty Level: Medium

20. In a parliamentary, system, the ______ has the choice of when to “call” an election.

a. chief national executive

b. national legislature

c. judiciary

d. state legislature

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: National Elections Serve to Hold Officials Accountable, But Regulating Them Is Not Always Easy

Difficulty Level: Medium

21. The framers of the Constitution did NOT want the election system to be too ______.

a. inclusive

b. republican

c. democratic

d. exclusive

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: National Elections Serve to Hold Officials Accountable, But Regulating Them Is Not Always Easy

Difficulty Level: Medium

22. Senators were originally chosen by ______.

a. the chief executive

b. the state legislatures

c. the national legislature

d. the judiciary

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: National Elections Serve to Hold Officials Accountable, But Regulating Them Is Not Always Easy

Difficulty Level: Medium

23. As a safeguard against ______, the American federal system divides Americans’ sovereignty between the nation and the states.

a. absolutism

b. communism

c. tyranny

d. factions

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: National Elections Serve to Hold Officials Accountable, But Regulating Them Is Not Always Easy

Difficulty Level: Medium

24. The times, places, and manner of holding elections for senators and representatives are prescribed by the ______.

a. national legislature

b. state legislatures

c. chief executive

d. national judiciary

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: National Elections Serve to Hold Officials Accountable, But Regulating Them Is Not Always Easy

Difficulty Level: Medium

25. Elections are the key way in which Americans keep their elected officials in line with the threat of voting ______ out of office and voting in ______.

a. challengers; incumbents

b. officials; constituents

c. incumbents; challengers

d. constituents; bureaucrats

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Elections Help Hold Elected Officials Accountable

Difficulty Level: Medium

26. Reflecting on an incumbent’s past performance in an election is called ______ voting.

a. retrospective

b. prospective

c. inclusive

d. representative

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Elections Help Hold Elected Officials Accountable

Difficulty Level: Medium

27. A 2014 Pew Research Center survey concluded that the top five issues for Latino registered voters were, in order of perceived importance: ______.

a. jobs and the economy, health care, education, immigration, and conflict in the Middle East

b. education, jobs and the economy, health care, immigration, and conflicts in the Middle East

c. immigration, jobs and the economy, health care, education, and conflicts in the Middle East

d. health care, immigration, education, jobs and the economy, and conflicts in the Middle East

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Elections Help Hold Elected Officials Accountable

Difficulty Level: Medium

28. Elections confer ______ on the laws passed and the public policies enacted in the minds of Americans.

a. legitimacy

b. supremacy

c. notoriety

d. anarchy

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Elections Help Hold Elected Officials Accountable

Difficulty Level: Medium

29. Participation in the electoral system may serve to remind Americans of their ______.

a. patriotism and respect

b. reliability and accountability

c. obligations and abilities

d. rights and liberties

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Elections Help Hold Elected Officials Accountable

Difficulty Level: Medium

30. In the 2016 presidential campaign, roughly ______ in total was spent in support of each of the campaigns of the incumbent president and the challenger.

a. $100 million

b. $500 million

c. $1.5 billion

d. $10 billion

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Elections Are Expensive

Difficulty Level: Medium

31. When total candidate and outside spending on other national elections was added to that of the presidential election, the total spent in 2016 was about ______.

a. $1 billion

b. $3 billion

c. $5 billion

d. $7 billion

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Elections Are Expensive

Difficulty Level: Medium

32. First and foremost, money buys ______ in a candidate’s campaign.

a. media time

b. organizers

c. event space

d. posters and flyers

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: What Money Buys

Difficulty Level: Medium

33. Campaign ads that attack an opponent or opponents and try to raise doubts in voters’ minds about them are known as ______.

a. muckrakers

b. negative campaign advertisements

c. positional advertising

d. counterproductive activities

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Money Buys

Difficulty Level: Easy

34. Efforts to mobilize voters or potential voters are given the acronym ______.

a. MYTV

b. NYTV

c. GOTV

d. YUTV

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Money Buys

Difficulty Level: Easy

35. Having a sizeable ______, especially early in a campaign, may discourage potential challengers from entering a political race.

a. advertising budget

b. group of supporters

c. set of advisors

d. war chest

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: What Money Buys

Difficulty Level: Medium

36. In the 1970s, following the Watergate scandal, Congress passed the ______.

a. National Voting Law

b. Federal Election Campaign Act

c. U.S. Election Bill

d. Presidential Campaign Act

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated?

Difficulty Level: Medium

37. The bureaucratic entity that is charged with overseeing and implementing national campaign finance laws is the ______.

a. Federal Election Commission

b. Presidential Election Committee

c. U.S. Election Congress

d. National Voting Regulatory Agency

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated?

Difficulty Level: Medium

38. In the 1976 case of Buckley v. Valeo, the U.S. Supreme Court ______.

a. prohibited outside political contributions to national political campaigns

b. upheld self-funded campaigning for presidential and congressional elections

c. maintained the constitutionality of restrictions on individual campaign contributions

d. declared political action committee contributions as unconstitutional

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated?

Difficulty Level: Medium

39. In an effort to effectively control the ballooning growth of campaign contributions, Congress passed the ______.

a. Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

b. Federal Election Campaign Act

c. Citizens United Campaign Reform Bill

d. Multiparty Campaign Financing Law

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated?

Difficulty Level: Medium

40. In the 2010 case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court ruled that independent, uncoordinated political speech by corporations during political campaigns is protected by the ______ Amendment.

a. 4th

b. 14th

c. 1st

d. 5th

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated?

Difficulty Level: Medium

41. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United, ______ are allowed to spend unlimited amounts during a political campaign as long as the spending is NOT coordinated with that campaign.

a. individual citizens

b. super PACs

c. finance committees

d. campaign managers

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated?

Difficulty Level: Medium

42. Groups of at least 50 individuals who contribute higher dollar amounts than individuals within federal limits are known as ______.

a. political action committees

b. super PACs

c. finance committees

d. campaign committees

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated?

Difficulty Level: Medium

43. In the 2016 elections, approximately ______ Latinos and Latinas were eligible voters.

a. 12 million

b. 18 million

c. 27 million

d. 35 million

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Medium

44. The growth of Latina and Latino voters is expected to be concentrated within the ______.

a. South and Northeast

b. North and Northwest

c. Great Plains and Southeast

d. West and Southwest

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Medium

45. Which of the following best describes the current voting habits of Latino and Latina voters?

a. In spite of their growing potential electoral power, they are not voting in rates comparable to white and African American voters.

b. Because of their growing population, they are voting at record rates that far exceed those of white and African American voters.

c. While voting in record numbers, the voting rate of Latino and Latina voters is slightly below that of whites and African Americans.

d. Latinos and Latinas are now voting at rates that are approaching those of white and African-American voters.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Medium

46. States in which no one political party tends to dominate national elections are described as ______.

a. independent states

b. swing states

c. radical states

d. moderate states

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Medium

47. Which of the following statements is inaccurate regarding the practice of gerrymandering?

a. Racial gerrymandering creates majority-minority districts.

b. Partisan gerrymandering aims to dismantle opposition party districts.

c. Incumbent gerrymandering protects an incumbent’s reelection prospects.

d. The Supreme Court has declared partisan redistricting to be inherently unconstitutional.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: The Supreme Court and Congressional District Boundaries

Difficulty Level: Hard

48. Presidential elections are conducted every ______ years.

a. 2

b. 4

c. 6

d. 8

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: National Elections Serve to Hold Officials Accountale, But Regulating Them Is Not Always Easy

Difficulty Level: Medium

49. Which of the following describes the stages of presidential election campaigns?

a. nomination and general election

b. primaries and nomination

c. organization and primaries

d. decision and announcement

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Presidential Elections Have Many Stages and Moving Parts

Difficulty Level: Medium

50. Long before officially campaigning, most candidates will form a(n) ______ committee in order to begin the fundraising process.

a. nomination

b. campaign

c. finance

d. exploratory

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Before the Official Campaign

Difficulty Level: Medium

51. Once the official campaign process begins, declared candidates must compete with ______.

a. candidates from the opposite party

b. others for their party’s nomination

c. the press for media attention

d. third parties for potential votes

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nomination Process

Difficulty Level: Medium

52. While many of the rules governing the nomination process are set by federal and state laws, the details about how things actually work are hammered out by ______.

a. the candidates

b. the constituents

c. the incumbents

d. the parties

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nomination Process

Difficulty Level: Medium

53. In most states, presidential nominees are selected by ______.

a. primaries

b. caucuses

c. local elections

d. state legislatures

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nomination Process

Difficulty Level: Medium

54. The concluding phase of the nomination process takes place in ______.

a. national elections

b. national primaries

c. national caucuses

d. national conventions

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Nomination Process

Difficulty Level: Medium

55. Once selected by their parties, the nominees proceed to the ______.

a. statewide convention

b. general election campaign

c. national convention

d. national balloting process

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The General Election

Difficulty Level: Medium

56. Once a nominee is selected, their problem becomes one of ______.

a. planning and conducting demographic analysis

b. communicating beyond his or her “base” of voters

c. creating and conducting nationwide polls

d. understanding the behavior of voting groups

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The General Election

Difficulty Level: Medium

57. If, during the nomination process, a candidate survived by appealing primarily to the extremes of the party, then he/she may be seen as too ______.

a. far right or far left for the average voter

b. centrist for the partisan faithful

c. unpredictable by the average national voter

d. unprepared to conduct a national campaign

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The General Election

Difficulty Level: Medium

58. Rather than voting directly for president, voters in a national election are selecting ______.

a. delegates to represent them

b. partisan choices for the national stage

c. a slate of electors who are pledged to vote for the winning nominee

d. members of the electoral college, who will then vote their conscience

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Medium

59. The process for electing the president that involves the voting population choosing a slate of electors who are pledged to vote for the nominee in the presidential election is called the ______.

a. Congress of Judges

b. Presidential Selection Committee

c. Electoral College

d. Congressional Delegation

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Medium

60. Because of how the House and the Senate are composed, each state is guaranteed a minimum of ______ vote(s) in the Electoral College.

a. 1

b. 2

c. 3

d. 4

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Easy

61. Electors are chosen from ______.

a. the public at large

b. a state’s congressional delegation

c. a slate of state legislators

d. party leaders and loyal activists

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Medium

62. Electors who change their mind in between the general election and the electoral college vote are known as ______.

a. the party faithful

b. faithless electors

c. undetermined voters

d. political spoilers

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Medium

63. Theoretically, it is possible to become president by winning only ______ of the most populous states.

a. 7

b. 11

c. 15

d. 25

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The General Election

Difficulty Level: Medium

64. The reason it is hard to win a presidency with only a small number of states is because ______.

a. Texas and California (the two largest states) tend to vote in opposite directions

b. American voting patterns are not conducive to such an outcome

c. New York and Pennsylvania tend to be predictors of voting patterns

d. the candidate must win both the Southwestern and Southeastern states

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Medium

65. The elections of both Bill Clinton in 1992 and George W. Bush in 2000 are examples of ______.

a. how the direct election of presidents has proven successful

b. situations in which a candidate dominated the popular vote

c. winning the presidency without winning the popular vote

d. the successful outcome of voting in a direct democracy

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Medium

66. Because California’s 24th District will have no incumbent running for office, it is described as a(n) ______.

a. open seat election

b. direct election

c. faithless election

d. groundless election

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.4: Explore the role that incumbency plays in candidates’ campaign decisions.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Jumping in at the Right Time

Difficulty Level: Medium

67. In California’s 24th District, Supervisor Carbajal was running under California’s ______ system.

a. open primary

b. closed primary

c. local caucus

d. top-two primary

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.4: Explore the role that incumbency plays in candidates’ campaign decisions.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Navigating the Electoral Rules

Difficulty Level: Medium

68. California’s top-two primary system is also called a nonpartisan ______.

a. open primary

b. closed primary

c. blanket primary

d. local caucus

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.4: Explore the role that incumbency plays in candidates’ campaign decisions.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Navigating the Electoral Rules

Difficulty Level: Medium

69. A phenomenon that occurs when a presidential candidate’s increasing popularity results in increased support for congressional leaders of the same party is known as a ______.

a. personality defect

b. coattail effect

c. selection bias

d. landslide election

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.4: Explore the role that incumbency plays in candidates’ campaign decisions.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Navigating the Electoral Rules

Difficulty Level: Medium

70. In most states, a successful congressional candidate only needs a ______ of votes in the primaries or general election.

a. plurality

b. majority

c. supermajority

d. neutrality

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Details of Congressional Elections Differ by State, But Many of the Rules Are the Same

Difficulty Level: Medium

71. In a majority election, when a candidate fails to win at least ______ of the vote, they must meet the second-place candidate in a runoff election.

a. 30%

b. 40%

c. 50%

d. 60%

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Details of Congressional Elections Differ by State, But Many of the Rules Are the Same

Difficulty Level: Medium

72. At the most basic level, the rules governing the division of voters into ______ are laid out in the Constitution.

a. precincts

b. constituencies

c. districts

d. factions

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: In Congressional Elections Constituency is Key

Difficulty Level: Medium

73. The size of the Senate depends only upon the number of ______.

a. counties

b. districts

c. states

d. constituencies

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Constituency and the Senate

Difficulty Level: Medium

74. In order to stagger the elections of senators, the Senate was divided into ______ “classes.”

a. 2

b. 3

c. 4

d. 5

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Constituency and the Senate

Difficulty Level: Medium

75. The size of the House is currently fixed at ______ members.

a. 100

b. 281

c. 392

d. 435

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Constituency and the House of Representatives

Difficulty Level: Medium

76. The process of determining the number of representatives for each state is called ______.

a. proportionality

b. constituency

c. apportionment

d. redistricting

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Apportionment

Difficulty Level: Medium

77. The process that occurs when states redraw their electoral district boundaries following an official census is known as ______.

a. gerrymandering

b. redistricting

c. apportionment

d. designation

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Redistricting and Gerrymandering Shape Constituencies and Elections in House Races

Difficulty Level: Medium

78. Many times, states are accused of intentionally changing congressional district lines in order to benefit a specific group. This is an example of ______.

a. gerrymandering

b. redistricting

c. apportionment

d. proportionality

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Application

Answer Location: Redistricting and Gerrymandering Shape Constituencies and Elections in House Races

Difficulty Level: Hard

79. Partisan gerrymandering is designed to give specific advantage to a(n) ______.

a. ethnic group

b. special interest

c. candidate

d. political party

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Partisan Gerrymandering

Difficulty Level: Medium

80. The effect of racial and ethnic gerrymandering is the creation of ______ districts.

a. partisan

b. majority-minority

c. homogeneous

d. minority-majority

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Racial and Ethnic Gerrymandering

Difficulty Level: Medium

81. In analyzing a set of legislative districts, experts sometimes find an uneven distribution of the population among them. This is best described as ______.

a. proportional representation

b. malapportionment

c. partisan gerrymandering

d. misappropriation

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Supreme Court and Congressional District Boundaries

Difficulty Level: Medium

82. In Congress, 80% or even 90% of those in office are successfully reelected. This is best explained because they have ______.

a. incumbency advantage

b. partisan support

c. bipartisan constituency

d. financial war chests

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Congressional Incumbents Have Significant Institutional Advantages

Difficulty Level: Medium

83. Nearly everything pertaining to candidates and campaigns for Congress is profoundly influenced by whether a candidate is ______.

a. a challenger

b. popular with PACs

c. an incumbent

d. a successful fundraiser

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Congressional Incumbents Have Significant Institutional Advantages Difficulty Level: Medium

True/False

1. As the 2016 presidential and congressional elections moved from debates and commercials to the party nomination process, it became evident that the American Latina and Latino vote would fail to play a major role.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Presidential Candidates Address Latino Voters in 2016

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio share a common Cuban heritage.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Republican Hopefuls Adopt Very Different Approaches

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Latino and Latina voters express connections to their common Hispanic heritage rather than their individual nations of origin.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Republican Hopefuls Adopt Very Different Approaches

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Political scientist John Geer has argued that negative campaign ads may actually increase the quality of information available to voters as they make choices in elections.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: What Money Buys

Difficulty Level: Medium

5. The Citizens United decision allows super PACs to spend unlimited amounts of money whether or NOT they are connected or coordinating with a candidate’s campaign.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated?

Difficulty Level: Medium

6. The problem with Latina and Latino voting is that their potential voting population far exceeds the number of Latinas and Latinos who actually participate in the voting process.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Medium

7. While the ways in which parties structure their nomination processes have changed and continue to change, the general trend in modern campaigns has been one of increasing exclusion.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Presidential Elections Have Many Stages and Moving Parts

Difficulty Level: Medium

8. Though theoretically possible, it has never happened that a U.S. presidential candidate has been elected president and has lost the popular vote.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Medium

9. Political scientist Larry Bartels has described momentum or “Big Mo” as the most important resource that a candidate for national office can have.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.4: Explore the role that incumbency plays in candidates’ campaign decisions.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Securing Money and Endorsements

Difficulty Level: Medium

10. By the 1970s, the decreasing trend in reelection rates for congressional incumbents had become so pronounced that the theory of incumbency advantage had been dispelled in the minds of most political scholars.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Congressional Incumbents Have Significant Institutional Advantages

Difficulty Level: Medium

Short Answer

1. A form of voting that reflects on an incumbent’s past performance in an election is called ______.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Elections Help Hold Elected Officials Accountable

Difficulty Level: Medium

2. ______ attack an opponent or opponents and try to raise doubts in voters’ minds about them.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: What Money Buys

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. Organizations that are permitted to make campaign contributions within legal limits are known as ______.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated?

Difficulty Level: Medium

4. Before declaring him/herself as a candidate for party nomination, most potential candidates form a(n) ______.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Before the Official Campaign

Difficulty Level: Easy

5. Party electors who change their mind between the general election and voting in the electoral college are termed ______ electors.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Easy

6. The two U.S. states with the largest number of electoral votes are ______.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Comprehension

Answer Location: Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Easy

7. The total number of electors in the Electoral College is ______.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Knowledge

Answer Location: The Rules of the Electoral College Decide the Presidency

Difficulty Level: Hard

Essay

1. What impact do you feel the Latina/Latino vote will have on national elections in the future? What factors might limit that impact in the near future? Explain your answer.

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.1: Explain why changes in the constituency lead candidates to reach out to new groups of voters.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Demographic Changes in the American Electorate Will Impact Future Political Campaigns; Could a Growing Latino Vote Alter the Party Landscape?

Difficulty Level: Hard

2. What impact does money have on today’s national election process?

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.2: Understand the issues surrounding national elections and the functions of those rules.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: What Money Buys; Can Campaign Contributions Be Effectively Regulated

Difficulty Level: Medium

3. In what way(s) must a presidential candidate change campaign strategies after winning a party’s nomination and beginning the national campaign phase? Why must he/she make these changes?

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.3: Identify the stages of presidential elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: The General Election

Difficulty Level: Hard

4. What advantages do Congressional incumbents have in retaining their seats in Congress? Why?

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Congressional Incumbents Have Significant Institutional Advantages

Difficulty Level: Hard

5. How does redistricting impact the voting patterns and outcome of an election? Why do some legislatures choose to gerrymander districts? What suggestions would you give with regard to the restriction or regulation of gerrymandering attempts?

TOP: Learning Outcome: Describe the roles and relative importance of major entities and influences in American political life.

KEY: Learning Objective: 10.5: Identify the structure of and issues involved in congressional elections.

REF: Cognitive Domain: Analysis

Answer Location: Redistricting and Gerrymandering Shape Constituencies and Elections in House Races

Difficulty Level: Hard