According to former United Nations Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, which of the following descriptions encompass the definition of “democratic elections”?

	a. Inclusive
	b. Periodic
	c. Definitive
	d. All of the above

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According to the Federalist Papers, what was Alexander Hamilton’s central argument on how elections should be governed?

	a. The national government should be given a check on the ability of state governments to regulate the election of members to Congress in order to prevent disunion
	b. States should be given the sole power to regulate elections in order to prevent the accumulation of political power within a centralized national government
	c. The power over elections should be shared equally between the national government and the states to ensure national unity
	d. The national government should have absolute authority over elections in order to avoid too much state autonomy

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Complete the sentence. In general, states require that eligible voters must satisfy all of the following requirements EXCEPT:

	a. Must be at least 18 years of age
	b. Must maintain residency in the geographic area where they vote
	c. Must be a U.S. citizen
	d. Must have a clean driving record

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Complete the sentence. The reelection of President George Washington in 1792 is considered one of the most important in history because:

	a. It established the principle of regular elections
	b. It was the first time in which presidential power switched hands from one political party to another
	c. It confirmed the conservative nature of the American republic
	d. It was the last presidential election before the American Revolution

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Complete the sentence. The outcome of a congressional election is largely determined by:

	a. Partisanship of the district
	b. The presence or absence of an incumbent
	c. The issues of the day
	d. All of the above

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Fill in the blank. A presidential caucus _______.

	a. Is a closed meeting of members of a political party who gather to select delegates to the national convention
	b. Functions as a preliminary election whereby voters decide their party’s candidates
	c. Enables voters to select one candidate per office irrespective of party affiliation
	d. Is a series of regional primaries, held by groups of states every two or three weeks, to choose their presidential candidate

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Fill in the blank. The most prevalent voting system for elections in the United States is the_______ system.

	a. Single member plurality
	b. Proportional representation
	c. Winner-take-all
	d. Semi-proportional

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Fill in the blank. The one exception to the openness of democratic elections is the act of______.

	a. Casting a vote
	b. Publicly opposing the party in power
	c. Contesting an election
	d. Tallying the election results

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Fill in the blank. The primary rules and processes for presidential elections is determined by_____.

	a. State political parties
	b. Congress
	c. State legislatures
	d. The courts

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Fill in the blank. The total number of Electoral College votes that a presidential candidate needs in order to win the general election is____.

	a. 435
	b. 270
	c. 535
	d. 538

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If both presidential candidates fail to get the majority votes needed for the Electoral College, the election is decided by______.

	a. The Supreme Court
	b. The Senate
	c. The House of Representatives
	d. State party conventions

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What proportion of members of the U.S. House of Representatives is up for reelection every two years?

	a. One third
	b. One half
	c. Two thirds
	d. All of them

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What was the first year in which at least one state legally permitted women to vote?

	a. 1798
	b. 1824
	c. 1869
	d. 1945

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When does redistricting of congressional district lines occur?

	a. When there is a significant population shift
	b. When the state legislature enacts the appropriate provisions
	c. Every ten years
	d. After each major presidential election

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When is the term “gerrymandering” used?

	a. When the political party in control draws district lines to enhance its own political fortunes
	b. When the Senate draws lines around racial districts
	c. When referring to Supreme Court decisions regarding redistricting
	d. When the governor of a state changes voting districts to ensure reelection

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Where is the Electoral College mentioned in the Constitution?

	a. Article II
	b. The 12th Amendment
	c. A and B
	d. It is not in the Constitution

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Which of the following increases the likelihood of peaceful election transitions?

	a. The rule of law
	b. Well-developed political and electoral institutions
	c. A strong civil society, supported by a free press
	d. All of the above

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Which of the following is critical to maintaining representative government?

	a. A critical mass of people who are willing to run for political office
	b. Participatory citizens who are knowledgeable about government and public life
	c. The ability to speak English
	d. Legal citizenship

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Which of the following would have been granted the right to vote in colonial America?

	a. A wealthy white widow who owned property
	b. A white man who owned property
	c. A free black who became a born-again Christian
	d. All of the above

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Fill in the blank. A form of government in which the supreme power is vested in its citizens who have the right to elect people to represent them is known as a(n)________.

	a. Monarchy
	b. Democracy
	c. Oligarchy
	d. Theocracy

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Complete the sentence. Among the problems inherent in the public financing system of elections is that:

	a. It does not allow qualified candidates to receive matching funds before the beginning of an election year
	b. It is not well-financed by the federal government
	c. The spending ceiling has not been revised to reflect the fact that more money has to be spent earlier in the campaigns
	d. All of the above

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Complete the sentence. The agency responsible for administering federal campaign finance laws is the:

	a. Federal Election Commission
	b. Federal Communications Commission
	c. Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Agency
	d. Congressional Campaign Committee

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Complete the sentence. Similar to today, throughout most of the United States’ history, the majority of money donated to political campaigns has come from:

	a. Political parties
	b. Small donations from middle-class individuals
	c. Corporations and wealthy individuals
	d. Labor unions

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Complete the sentence. A possible explanation as to why journalists are more likely to run for office is that:

	a. They are driven by a desire to change the world for the better
	b. They are better at fundraising
	c. They feel morally and intellectually superior to politicians
	d. A and C

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Complete the sentence. Advantages of incumbency for elected officials during reelection include:

	a. Name recognition
	b. Free mailings to constituents
	c. A large staff
	d. All of the above

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Complete the sentence. All of the following activities are part of the initial steps in running for office EXCEPT:

	a. Developing a campaign plan
	b. Forming an exploratory committee
	c. Informing the incumbent of your plans to challenge him or her
	d. Deciding the issues upon which the campaign will be based

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Complete the sentence. All of the following are components of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act EXCEPT:

	a. A ban on soft money
	b. Increased hard money contribution limits
	c. A ban on candidates from using federal funding for campaigns
	d. Restrictions on issue advocacy advertising

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Complete the sentence. Modern campaigns utilize polling in large part to:

	a. Arouse all possible voters to vote in response to the candidate’s message
	b. Encourage heavy turnouts of eligible voters
	c. Facilitate efficient allocation of campaign resources
	d. Mobilize campaign workers to intensify their voter registration efforts

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Complete the sentence. One of the more notable trends in the 2010 congressional elections was:

	a. The unprecedented number of women who ran for open seats
	b. The increasing number of African-American Republican candidates
	c. Latinos had the highest voter turnout of any minority group
	d. The large number of candidates who financed their own campaigns

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Complete the sentence. Since the 1990s, the vast majority of campaign donations have come from:

	a. Corporations and wealthy individuals
	b. Political action committees
	c. Federal funds
	d. Candidate self-financing

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Complete the sentence. The dramatic rise in the number and use of professional campaign consultants can be attributed to the fact that:

	a. Campaigns have become increasingly candidate-centered
	b. Campaign finance reform has forced campaigns to hire more consultants to help in fundraising efforts
	c. Political parties have had a declining influence on campaigns
	d. A and C

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Fill in the blank. Reelection rates for members of Congress have historically been ______ percent.

	a. 80–90
	b. 50–60
	c. 100
	d. 20–30

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What has been the trend concerning opposition research in recent campaigns?

	a. It’s being done more
	b. It’s being done less
	c. Campaign finance reform laws have virtually eliminated it
	d. It’s utilized much more by Republicans than Democrats

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Which of the following statements is correct regarding candidates who self-finance their campaigns?

	a. A candidate’s personal wealth does not guarantee political success
	b. Most voters are turned off by wealthy candidates
	c. Democrats make up the majority of self-funded candidates
	d. Self-funded candidates do not usually accept campaign contributions

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Complete the sentence. Based on Abraham Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs” theory, many people who seek political office are motivated by the need for:

	a. Status and recognition
	b. Self-actualization
	c. Personal wealth
	d. Job security

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Complete the sentence. A striking characteristic of third parties is that they:

	a. Advance controversial issues and ideas
	b. Are always radical
	c. Are always conservative
	d. Have no place in the American system

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Complete the sentence. All of the following are correct regarding interest group spending in the 2010 congressional elections EXCEPT:

	a. House candidates received more money than Senate candidates
	b. Spending nearly doubled since the 2008 elections
	c. Corporations were able to spend unlimited cash on election activities
	d. Interest groups contributed more to challengers than incumbents

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Complete the sentence. Any group whose members share attitudes and try to achieve certain policy goals within the political process is called a(n):

	a. Campaign
	b. Political party
	c. Interest group
	d. All of the above

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Complete the sentence. The employee of an interest group who presents its point of view to legislators is called a:

	a. Fundraiser
	b. Lobbyist
	c. Party leader
	d. Litigator

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Complete the sentence. The purpose of a political party is to:

	a. Recruit candidates to run for office
	b. Organize government
	c. Help voters decide
	d. All of the above

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Fill in the blank. The _____ and the _____ were the first political parties to emerge in the United States.

	a. Whigs; Democrats
	b. Republicans; Federalists
	c. Republicans; Nationalists
	d. Democrats; Republicans

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Fill in the blank. ___________ was the first president of the Republican Party.

	a. Andrew Jackson
	b. William Jennings Bryan
	c. Andrew Jackson
	d. Abraham Lincoln

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What is the maximum amount that a political action committee (PAC) can contribute to a federal candidate per election cycle?

	a. $2,500
	b. $5,000
	c. $10,000
	d. $15,000

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Which of the following groups is most firmly in the coalition that comprises the contemporary Democratic Party?

	a. Whites
	b. Latinos
	c. Senior citizens
	d. African Americans

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Which of the following statements are correct regarding 527 groups?

	a. They have exploited loopholes in campaign finance regulations
	b. Campaign finance law has limited the amount of contributions they can give
	c. They operate independently of political candidates’ campaigns
	d. They played a larger role in the 2008 rather than the 2004 presidential election

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What were the Founding Fathers’ initial views of political parties?

	a. They created unnecessary social conflicts
	b. They helped to maintain a healthy democracy
	c. The more parties that existed the better
	d. They undermined the Constitution

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Complete the sentence. Americans who are not registered to vote are more likely to be:

	a. Socially isolated from other people
	b. Generally mistrustful of others
	c. New arrivals in their neighborhoods
	d. All of the above

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Complete the sentence. Political socialization concerns the study of:

	a. How political attitudes and loyalties are formed
	b. How children learn about government and citizenship
	c. How political preferences are passed on from one generation to another
	d. All the above

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Complete the sentence. All of the following have contributed to low voter turnout in recent years EXCEPT:

	a. The inability for political parties to create cohesive and enduring coalitions
	b. Voter disenchantment with the length, quality, and tone of political campaigns
	c. Increasingly negative news coverage of political campaigns
	d. The lack of diversity among political candidates

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Complete the sentence. Criminal disenfranchisement laws in the United States:

	a. Are generally supported by the American public
	b. Are fairly uniform across the country
	c. Have disproportionately impacted people of color
	d. Are expected to be phased out within the next 20 years

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Complete the sentence. Laws to tighten voter registration requirements have resulted in:

	a. Less voter fraud and fairer elections
	b. Obstacles to voting for disadvantaged and minority groups
	c. The courts declaring them unconstitutional
	d. Decreased voter turnout

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Complete the sentence. Voter turnout in the 2010 congressional elections:

	a. Was significantly higher compared to previous midterm elections
	b. Saw young voters having the largest drop off of any voting demographic between presidential and midterm elections
	c. Revealed a much older electorate
	d. All of the above

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Fill in the blank. Voters who seek as much information as possible about all candidates, consider the positives and negatives, and evaluate them against their own personal interests, are known as ________ voters.

	a. Frugal
	b. Intuitive
	c. Rational
	d. Passive

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Which country typically has the lowest voter turnout?

	a. Italy
	b. United States
	c. Canada
	d. Australia

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Which of the following demographic groups is most likely to vote?

	a. Older, college-educated whites
	b. Younger, college-educated whites
	c. Latinos
	d. Independents

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Which of the following groups are more likely to be registered to vote?

	a. Republicans
	b. Democrats
	c. Independents
	d. Libertarians

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Which of the following is correct regarding voting trends in the 2008 presidential election?

	a. Minority voting rates increased
	b. The number of white voters increased
	c. 18- to 24-year-olds had the highest voting rate of all age groups
	d. All of the above

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Which of the following statements is correct regarding political party identification?

	a. People usually defect from their party as they get older.
	b. Most people do not change party identification during their lifetime.
	c. Party attachments are usually formed in adulthood.
	d. A person’s party identification always reflects who he or she votes for.

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Complete the sentence. All of the following are characteristics of “intermittent” voters EXCEPT:

	a. They are registered to vote but do not always make it to the polls
	b. They are more likely to be married than are regular voters
	c. They are more mistrustful of other people compared with those who vote regularly
	d. They are less angry with government than regular voters, though no less dissatisfied

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Complete the sentence. All of the following are correct regarding 24-hour cable news EXCEPT:

	a. It has intensified viewer partisanship
	b. Coverage is more in-depth than local and network news
	c. Most viewers watch cable channels that conform with their own political beliefs
	d. Viewership peaked in the 1990s and has since been on a steady decline

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Complete the sentence. All of the following contributed to Howard Dean’s successful use of the Internet in the 2004 presidential campaign EXCEPT:

	a. His political base of liberal voters visited political websites much more than conservatives
	b. His campaign website was decidedly interactive and populist in nature
	c. It received an influx of large corporate donations
	d. It generated positive press coverage

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Complete the sentence. As compared to national presidential press coverage, local reporting of congressional elections:

	a. Tends to be more substantive
	b. Tends to be less substantive
	c. Usually includes fewer quotes from candidates
	d. Is less descriptive and more analytical

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Complete the sentence. Exit polls by news outlets:

	a. Have historically provided reliable analysis of election results
	b. Have been hampered by early/absentee voting, making it more difficult to determine election results
	c. A and B
	d. Have no effect on voter turnout

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Complete the sentence. In recent years, newspaper endorsements of political candidates:

	a. Have had a negligible impact on election outcomes
	b. Have been considered a useful tool for undecided voters
	c. Have significantly influenced voter decisions
	d. Usually hurt, rather than help, a candidate

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Complete the sentence. Most Americans get their political news from:

	a. Newspapers
	b. Radio
	c. The Internet
	d. Cable news

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Complete the sentence. Newspapers in the presidential election of 1800:

	a. Had no effect on its outcome
	b. Had a significant impact on its outcome
	c. Demonstrated how the news media could be partial and objective
	d. Were not seen as a legitimate source of campaign coverage

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Complete the sentence. Sound bites in news campaign coverage:

	a. Reached their zenith in the 2008 presidential election
	b. Are a useful and efficient way to learn more about a candidate
	c. Are rarely used today
	d. Tend to focus on candidates’ gaffes and catch phrases

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Complete the sentence. The first general election presidential debate was held between:

	a. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Thomas Dewey
	b. John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon
	c. Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas
	d. Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford

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Complete the sentence. “Horse race” media coverage of elections:

	a. Increases voter interest in campaigns
	b. Is more politically substantive than regular coverage
	c. Tends to ignore polling data
	d. All of the above

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What has been the biggest impact of social media on political campaigns?

	a. It has brought people closer in touch with the electoral process
	b. It has led to substantial increases in voter turnout
	c. It has proved to be a powerful fundraising tool for candidates
	d. It has caused older voters to become more interested in politics

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Which of the following can be attributed to the rise of negative campaign advertising?

	a. Increased media coverage has incentivized candidates to use it more often
	b. Political party polarization has led to more candidate disagreement about policy
	c. Campaign consultants feel it is more effective than positive advertising
	d. All of the above

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Which of the following can be said about the first presidential campaign commercials to air on television?

	a. Production values were rudimentary and low-tech
	b. Most voters paid very little attention to them
	c. Ads were much shorter in length
	d. All of the above

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Which of the following statements is true about negative campaign advertisements?

	a. Challengers are more likely to use them than incumbents
	b. Studies have shown that they have very little impact on voters’ attitudes and decisions
	c. Voters overwhelmingly dislike them
	d. All of the above

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Why has it been permissible for political candidates to be less than truthful in their campaign advertising?

	a. Their statements are considered “political speech” protected by the First Amendment
	b. Broadcasters are obligated to run their ads
	c. Political candidates are held to legal different standards than private entities
	d. All of the above

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Complete the sentence. The American press in the late 18th and early 19th centuries could be characterized as:

	a. Objective and balanced
	b. Intensely partisan
	c. Highly respected
	d. Not very influential

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Complete the sentence. A “mandate” election is usually the result of:

	a. A general consensus among voters on important policy issues
	b. A sweeping electoral victory by the candidate
	c. A and B
	d. Unusually high voter turnout

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Complete the sentence. The landslide victory of Andrew Jackson in the 1832 presidential election was due in large part to:

	a. The collapse of the Republican Party
	b. Expanded voting rights for white men
	c. His opposition to the National Bank
	d. His pro-slavery views

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Complete the sentence. The last realigning election occurred in:

	a. 1932
	b. 1964
	c. 2000
	d. 2008

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Complete the sentence. The “permanent campaign” theory refers to:

	a. The lengthy presidential nominating process
	b. Politicians governing in a way which enhances their prospects for reelection
	c. The desire for politicians to run their own campaigns without outside help
	d. The trend of Americans to become more engaged in politics

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The 2010 midterm elections reflected which of the following voter sentiments?

	a. Dissatisfaction with government expansion
	b. Dissatisfaction with Republican incumbents
	c. Broad support for President Obama’s policies
	d. Opposition to gay marriage

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What was the significance of the 1994 midterm elections?

	a. It was a realigning election
	b. The reelection rate for incumbents was nearly 100 percent
	c. It produced the greatest numerical increase in membership by the Republicans in over 40 years
	d. Democrats obtained a two-thirds majority in the Senate

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Which of the following could be said about the first 100 days of the Obama presidency?

	a. He introduced more policy measures to Congress than any president since Franklin Roosevelt.
	b. He had difficulty in assembling and staffing his management team.
	c. He mostly kept a low profile with the media.
	d. He focused more on health care reform than the economy.

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Which of the following is considered to be a contributing factor to party polarization in Congress?

	a. Institutional dysfunction
	b. Lack of leadership
	c. Fundraising has taken precedence over policymaking
	d. All of the above

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Which of the following realigning presidential elections first brought the Republican Party into national prominence?

	a. 1860
	b. 1896
	c. 1938
	d. 2000

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Which of the following was the top policy concern among voters in the 2010 midterm elections?

	a. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
	b. The economy
	c. Health care reform
	d. Education

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Complete the sentence. All of the following are characteristics of realigning elections EXCEPT:

	a. The extent of electoral involvement is high
	b. The balance of power between the two parties changes radically
	c. They occur every 30 years or so
	d. They have always been preceded by large gains in the House of Representatives in previous elections

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Complete the sentence. All of the following were policy recommendations put forth by the National Commission on Election Reform EXCEPT:

	a. Elections should be held on a national holiday to make voting easier for workers
	b. Absentee voting by military personnel and overseas citizens should be eliminated
	c. Voting rights should be restored to ex-felons
	d. News organizations should not project election results until all polls are closed

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Complete the sentence. Among the criticisms of Internet voting is that it:

	a. Creates problems of security, privacy, and unequal access
	b. Is not cost effective
	c. Suppresses voter turnout
	d. Results in inaccurate vote counts

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Complete the sentence. Instances of voter fraud in U.S. elections:

	a. Have largely been exaggerated
	b. Are generally the result of clerical errors
	c. Are usually due to voter mistakes
	d. All of the above

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Complete the sentence. Proposed reforms to the Electoral College:

	a. Seek to eliminate and replace it with direct popular election
	b. Want to repair perceived defects while preserving the existing system
	c. Have little chance of becoming law
	d. All of the above

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Complete the sentence. Public financing of elections:

	a. Puts additional fundraising pressure on candidates
	b. Increases the perception that special interests exert undue influence over candidates
	c. Creates greater opportunities for challengers to competitively seek office, including female and minority challengers.
	d. Increases funding disparities between candidates

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Complete the sentence. Recall elections in the United States:

	a. Have been surging in local and state governments
	b. Are rarely used
	c. Are difficult to achieve because of the large number of voter signatures required
	d. Are generally viewed as bad for democracy

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Complete the sentence. Statewide reforms made possible through the use of the initiative process include all of the following EXCEPT:

	a. Legalization of medical marijuana
	b. Term limits for elected officials
	c. Legalization of same-sex marriage
	d. Legalization of physician-assisted suicide

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Complete the sentence. The 2010 Citizens United v. FEC court decision has:

	a. Been declared unconstitutional
	b. Freed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on campaign ads
	c. Not had much impact on the electoral process
	d. Made it possible for interest groups to coordinate strategy with a candidate’s campaign

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Complete the sentence. Voting registration procedures have been eased in recent years by connecting registration to:

	a. College applications
	b. Driver’s licenses
	c. Income tax returns
	d. Credit card applications

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Complete the sentence. All of the following are true regarding initiative and referendum in the United States EXCEPT:

	a. Their use has been on a steady decline
	b. They are much more prevalent in the western part of the country
	c. They were an outgrowth of Progressive era reforms
	d. They exist in every state

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Complete the sentence. The goal of Progressive era election reform was to:

	a. End corruption in government
	b. Prevent political party bosses from determining election outcomes
	c. Enable citizens to cast their votes in secrecy
	d. All of the above

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Complete the sentence. Until 1913, U.S. Senators were elected by:

	a. State legislatures
	b. The courts
	c. The president
	d. Political parties

.

Which of the following statements is correct regarding the evolution of party conventions in the United States?

	a. Public participation has decreased significantly
	b. Rank-and-file party members have much less say in the process
	c. Party bosses have become increasingly more influential in choosing the party’s presidential candidate
	d. They have become more democratic and demographically representative

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Complete the sentence. The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:

	a. Empowers citizens of the District of Columbia to vote in presidential elections
	b. Limits the president to a maximum of two terms in office
	c. Created the presidential line of succession
	d. Shortened the period between election and inauguration of the President and Vice President

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