Final Test

Question 1

Political participation

Answer 1

All forms of involvement citizens can have that are related to governance

Question 2

Poll tax

Answer 2

A tax citizens were required to pay each year between October and January to be eligible to vote in the next election cycle

Question 3

Voter registration

Answer 3

The act of qualifying to vote by formally enrolling on an official list of voters.

Question 4

Absentee voting

Answer 4

A process that allows a person to vote early before the regular election; early voting

Question 5

Same-day registration

Answer 5

Voters are allowed to register on election day no pre-registration before the election is required.

Question 6

Voter turnout

Answer 6

The proportion of people who cast ballots in an election.

Question 7

Registered voters

Answer 7

Citizens who have formally gone through the process of getting their names on the voter registration list.

Question 8

Voting age population

Answer 8

The number of people age18 and over

Question 9

Voting eligible population

Answer 9

The voting age population corrected to exclude groups ineligible to vote such as non-citizens and convicted felon

Question 10

Annual registration

Answer 10

A system they requires citizens to re-register to vote every year

Question 11

Permanent registration

Answer 11

A system that keeps citizens on the voter registration list without their having to re-register every year.

Question 12

White primary

Answer 12

From 1923 to 1945, democratic party primary that excluded African-Americans from participating.

Question 13

Socioeconomic factors

Answer 13

Factors such as income, education, race, and ethnicity that affect voter turn out

Question 14

Ballot form

Answer 14

The form used by voters to cast their ballots.

Question 15

Party column format

Answer 15

Paper ballot form where candidates are listed by party and by office.

Question 16

Office block format

Answer 16

Ballot form where candidates are listed by office with party affiliation listed by their name most often use with computer ballots.

Question 17

Independent candidate

Answer 17

A person whose name appears on the ballot without a political party designation.

Question 18

“Sore loser” law

Answer 18

Law in Texas that prevents a person who lost the primary vote from running as an independent or minor party candidate

Question 19

Write-in candidate

Answer 19

A person whose name does not appear on the ballot voters must write in the persons name and the person must have filed a formal notice that he/she was a write-in candidate before the election.

Question 20

Minor party

Answer 20

A party other than the democratic or republican party to be a minor party in Texas the organization must have received between five and 19% of the vote in the past election

Question 21

Party caucus

Answer 21

A meeting of members of a political party to nominate candidates

Question 22

Primary election

Answer 22

An election used by major political parties in Texas to nominate candidates for the November general election

Question 23

Open primary system

Answer 23

A nominating election that is open to all registered voters regardless of party affiliation

Question 24

Closed primary system

Answer 24

A nominating election that is closed to all voters except those who have registered as a member of the political party.

Question 25

Semi-close primary system

Answer 25

A nominating election that is open to all registered voters but voters are required to declare party affiliation when they vote in the primary election

Question 26

Semi-open primary system

Answer 26

Voter may choose to vote in the primary of either party on election day, voters are considered “declared” for the party and whose primary they vote.

Question 27

Blanket primary system

Answer 27

Nominating election in which voters to switch parties between election.

Question 28

Crossover voting

Answer 28

Occurs when the voters leave the party and vote in the other party‘s primary

Question 29

Party raiding

Answer 29

Occurs when members of one political party vote in another party‘s primary in an effort to nominate a weaker candidate or split the vote among the top candidates

Question 30

Runoff primary

Answer 30

Election that is required if no person receives a majority in the primary election.

Question 31

Filing fee

Answer 31

A fee or payment required to get a candidates name on the primary or general election ballot.

Question 32

Voting rights act

Answer 32

A federal law aimed at preventing racial discrimination in the operation of voter registration and elections at the state level.

Question 33

Absentee voting

Answer 33

A process that allows a person to vote early

Question 34

Focus group

Answer 34

panel of “average citizens” Who are used by political consultants to test ideas and words for later use in campaigns.

Question 35

Political parties

Answer 35

Organizations that act as an intermediary between the people and government with the goal of having its members elected to public office.

Question 36

Political action committees.

Answer 36

Spin-offs of interest groups that collect money for campaign contributions and other activities.

Question 37

Realignment.

Answer 37

“A lasting shift of party loyalty and attachment”

Question 38

Straight-ticket voting

Answer 38

Casting all your votes for candidates of a single party.

Question 39

Party dealignment

Answer 39

View that a growing number of voters and candidates do not identify with either major political party but are independents.

Question 40

Permanent party organization

Answer 40

Series of elected officials of a political party that keep the party organization active between elections.

Question 41

Precinct chair

Answer 41

Party official elected each voting precinct to organize and support the party.

Question 42

County chair

Answer 42

Party official elected in each county to organize and support the party.

Question 43

County executive committee.

Answer 43

Committee made up of a county chair and all precinct chairs in the county, serves as the official organization for the party in each county

Question 44

State executive committee

Answer 44

Committee made up of one man and one woman from each state Senatorial district as well as a chair and vice chair, that functions as the governing body of the party.

Question 45

State party chair

Answer 45

Heads the state executive committee and provide leadership for the party

Question 46

Temporary party organization

Answer 46

Series of meetings or conventions that occur every two years at the precinct, county, and state levels.

Question 47

Presidential primary election

Answer 47

Election held every four years by political parties to determine voters preferences for presidential candidates.

Question 48

Primary

Answer 48

An election used by major political parties in Texas to nominate candidates for the November general election.

Question 49

Caucus

Answer 49

A meeting of members of a political party to nominate candidates.

Question 50

Interest group

Answer 50

An organization of individual sharing common goals that tries to influence governmental decisions

Question 51

Membership organizations

Answer 51

Interest groups to have individual citizens or businesses as members

Question 52

Non-membership organization

Answer 52

Interest groups that represent corporations and businesses and do not have broad-based Citizen support.

Question 53

Government organizations

Answer 53

Interest groups that represent state and local government’s, also called SLIG’s, for state and local interest groups.

Question 54

Trade associations

Answer 54

Interest groups that represent more specific business interests.

Question 55

Professional associations

Answer 55

Organizations promoting the interest of individuals who generally must hold a state issued license to engage in their profession.

Question 56

Collective bargaining

Answer 56

Negotiations between an employer and a group of employees to determine employment conditions such as those related to wages, working hours, and safety.

Question 57

Right-to-work laws

Answer 57

Legislation stipulating that a person cannot be denied employment because of membership or non-membership in a labor union or other labor organization.

Question 58

State and local interest groups (SLIG’s)

Answer 58

Interest groups that represent state and local government such as the Texas Association of Counties.

Question 59

Lobbying

Answer 59

The practice of trying to influence members of the legislature originally by catching legislatures in the lobby of the capital.

Question 60

Electioneering

Answer 60

Various activities in which interest groups engage to try to influence the outcome of elections.

Question 61

Texas Ethic Comissions

Answer 61

State agency responsible for enforcing requirements for interest groups and candidates for public office to report information on money collected and activities.

Question 62

Fragmented government structure

Answer 62

A government structure where power is dispersed to many state agencies with little or no central control.

Question 63

Rent seeking

Answer 63

The practice of trying to secure benefits for oneself or one’s group through political means.

Question 64

Capture

Answer 64

The situation in which a state agency or board falls under the heavy influence of or is controlled by its constituency interest groups.