2. Party conventions today I. select the electors for the party to the electoral college. II. formally nominate candidates for president and vice president. III. nominate candidates for senatorial and representative positions. A. I only B. II only C. I and II only D. II and III only Answer - B

3. The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 included all of the following campaign reforms EXCEPT A. creation of a Federal Election Commission B. prohibition of foreign contributions C. elimination of all PACs and “soft money” donations D. allowance of federal matching funds for major presidential candidates in primaries. Answer - C

4. A. a runoff election is usually necessary to determine the winner. B. parties are assigned seats based on the proportion of votes they receive in a district. C. the candidate with the most votes represents the district. D. some votes count more than others in determining which candidate wins the election. Answer C In a single-member district, plurality vote system,

5. Which of the following statements is true of Congressional incumbents who run for reelection? A. Incumbent senators are more likely to be reelected than are incumbent members of the House of Representatives. B. Ever since the 1994 election, the majority of Congressional incumbents have failed in their reelection attempts. C. Incumbents have a great advantage over challengers because they are better known and can raise campaign funds more easily. D. Most incumbents who run for reelection are unopposed in the general election. Answer - C

6. Criticisms of the election process include all the following EXCEPT A. disproportionate attention goes to the early caucuses. B. disproportionate attention goes to the early primaries. C. money plays too big a role. D. the system allows little room for media involvement. Answer - D

7. A. the economic condition facing the country. B. the belief that programs favored by the candidate would benefit the country. C. the ability of the candidate to win a majority of the delegates to the convention. D. the support given to the candidate by party leaders. Answer - C Since 1960, which of the following is the most significant factor in determining which candidate receives the party’s nomination for president?

8. A. Are an effective way to minimize interest group participations. B. are an effective way to reduce campaign spending. C. facilitate coordination of efforts between candidates and groups. D. may serve to channel money to independent groups over whom the parties may have little influence Answer - D The experience with 527s and Super PACs in presidential elections suggest campaign finance laws

9. A. are usually able to win reelection even when a party realignment occurs during presidential elections. B. have not had fundraising limits imposed on them by the Federal Election Commission. C. have been able to raise less money than their opponents. D. look to have numerous debates with their opponents. Answer - A Which of the following statements best describes congressional incumbency? Incumbents….

10. The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 established all the following rules for candidates seeking office EXCEPT A. the option of taxpayers to contribute money to presidential campaigns on their income tax forms. B. the restriction of citizen contributions per candidate. C. the regulation of PAC contributions to candidates. D. the restriction of spending amounts by candidates who decided not to accept matching funds. Answer - D

11. A. Average citizens are not welcome to participate B. Caucuses are not held in convenient locations. C. the first caucus is in Iowa, which is not representative of the population as a whole. D. Caucuses often last several days and become endurance contests. Answer - C Which of the following is a valid criticism of the caucus system?

12. A. Announce the party’s platform B. Select new party leaders. C. Elect delegates to the next convention D. Present fund-raising strategies Answer A In addition to officially nominating a party’s candidate for the presidency, national conventions perform which of the following tasks?

13. A. relying on television debates to clarify their views. B. selling an image rather than their ideas. C. avoiding stock speeches in favor of impromptu briefings. D. avoiding television exposure altogether. Answer - B One effect of candidates’ fear of a slip during campaigning is that, increasingly, candidates are

14. A. the most electoral votes fails to be elected president. B. a majority of the popular votes fails to be elected president. C. less than a majority of the popular vote is elected president. D. a majority of the electoral votes fails to be elected president. Answer - D Given the current method of electing the president, which of the following is NOT possible? A presidential candidate with…..

15. A. emphasize details and issues over themes and perceptions. B. give voters a chance to see how candidates handle pressure. C. reduce the influence of single-issue groups. D. counteract the effects of party loyalty and national economic conditions. Answer - B According to the book, campaigns do make a difference because they

16. A. produce a smaller voter turnout. B. relate more closely to what the candidate can do for constituents. C. are more competitive. D. allow the incumbent more opportunity to deny responsibility for the “mess” in Washington. Answer - C Presidential races differ from congressional races in that the former generally

17. A. candidates can get a majority of the delegates quickly. B. the cost of the campaign is higher. C. the media focuses on who is ahead. D. candidates stay in the race longer. Answer A One of the effects of winner-take-all primaries is that

18. A. To a substantial degree, congressional elections have become independent of presidential ones. B. Members of Congress may run for and be elected to as many terms in office as they please. C. Congressional races tend to draw a heavier voter turnout than presidential races. D. In this country, running for Congress involves mostly an individual decision and effort, while in most European nations the decision and effort are primarily organizational. Answer - C Which of the following statements is NOT true?

19. Which of the following is the most common method for a party today to select its candidates for office? A. open primaries B. caucuses C. closed primaries D. blanket primaries Answer - C

20. A. In an open primary, only voters who have registered as a member of a party may vote for the candidates of that party. B. The type of primary that allows a voter the greatest freedom to vote for candidates of different parties is the blanket primary. C. Debates are usually advantageous to the challenger only. D. The 1992 candidacy of Ross Perot owed its viability to his frequent use of television. Answer - A Which of the following statements is NOT true?

21. If presidential candidates accept federal support in the form of matching campaign financing, then they A. are no longer required to disclose their contributions. B. agree to limit their campaign expenditures to an amount prescribed by federal law. C. no longer can accept PAC money. D. are no longer required to disclose how they spend their money. Answer - B

22. A. PACs disproportionately represent business interests, thus giving business undue influence over members of Congress. B. PACS are more likely to support incumbents than challengers, thus discouraging competitive elections. C. PACs give more money to Republicans, thus giving the party an unfair advantage. D. Some critics believe that the practices of PACs are little different from legalized bribery. Answer - C PAC money is controversial for all of the following reasons EXCEPT

23. A. Democratic and Republican party bosses B. the candidates themselves C. the national media D. those without strong political ties. Answer D According to the article, “Going Negative,” the people most repulsed by negative campaigning are

24. A. They are decided by retrospective voting. B. They produce major party realignment. C. They provided the winner with a clear mandate. D. They are fought over a dominant issue. Answer A Which of the following statements is true about MOST presidential elections?

25. One effect of the way that federal matching funds are made available to candidates for presidential campaigns is to A. give candidates an incentive to raise money from small donors B. encourage candidates to use more of their own financing. C. encourage a large number of third party candidates to run. D. strengthen the role that the party plays in raising campaign funds Answer - A

26. A. gathering where party dissidents make important decisions. B. gathering of interest group representatives. C. media showcase where newscasters influence the outcomes. D. place where delegates confirm decisions already made by voters. Answer D Because of state presidential primary elections, the role of the Democratic and Republican national conventions has been transformed in a(n)

27. A. Direct mail campaigns B. Television advertising. C. Hiring a campaign coordinator D. Soliciting donations via the Internet Answer B Which of the following factors contributes most to the cost of a presidential campaign?

28. A. American campaigns cost candidates less in personal contributions. B. Candidates in other countries are not allowed to appear on television. C. Campaigns in the United States are geared toward a general election. D. American campaigns are much longer than other campaigns. Answer - D Presidential campaigns in the United States differ most from campaigns in other countries in which of the following ways?

29. An open primary is a primary election in which A. voters registered as “independents” may not vote B. candidates do not specify the office for which they are running. C. voters may register at their polling place on election Day. D. voters may vote in the election of a party other than the one to which they are registered. Answer - D

30. A major problem with recent presidential primaries is that A. the calendar is backloaded. B. as the primary season wears on and candidates drop out, fewer voters go to the polls. C. primaries attract the more ardent political party supporters, so candidates play to the extremes of the parties. D. the media attention makes it difficult to assess where the candidates stand on issues. Answer - C

31. Unlike congressional campaigns, presidential campaigns can be funded by A. private sources only. B. public sources only C. both private and public sources. D. private sources during the primaries and public sources after the nominations are made. Answer - C

32. Primaries are governed by I. party rules II. state law III. federal law A. I only B. II only C. II and III only D. I and II only Answer - D

33. A. Individual contributions are now adjusted to inflation B. Soft money is banned. C. Candidates are limited to spending only $20,000 of their own personal funds. D. Federal matching funds are available to candidates who raise $5,000, in individual contributions of $250 or less, in 20 states. Answer - C Which of the following is NOT true of how federal law today restricts fund-raising for presidential campaigns?

34. Campaign tactics in the general election usually require that candidates A. keep their appeals similar to those during the primaries B. change their tone to become more middle-of- the-road C. be sure that their campaign appeals primarily to party loyalists. D. focus on discrediting the opponent. Answer - B

35. A. a fund for public donations to presidential campaigns. B. a limit on minors being able to contribute to political campaigns. C. the Federal Election Commission to regulate campaign financing. D. rules for the disclosure of all campaign financing and spending information Answer B The 1974 Federal Election Campaign Act established all of the following EXCEPT