SOL CE.5 The Political Process Study Guide Answers

1. Who tries to help candidates win elections. Political Parties 2 1. Who tries to help candidates win elections? Political Parties 2. What are three other functions of political parties? Recruit and nominate candidates Educate citizens about campaign issues Monitor officeholders

3. TRUE/FALSE: Both parties attempt to influence public policies and reflect both liberal and conservative views. True 4. Political parties attempt to gain the support of the majority by appealing to – the political center 5. How can you tell the difference between the parties? platforms and campaigns

6. What kinds of parties usually press for a particular issue 6. What kinds of parties usually press for a particular issue? Third Parties 7. What parties revolve around political personalities, but rarely win?

Identifying Propaganda, Separating Fact from Opinion, Recognizing Bias, and Evaluating Sources 8. The list above are strategies to – Evaluate Campaign Information 9. When reading political advertisements it is important to separate – Fact from Opinion

10. Why is a campaign brochure NOT the best source of information about a candidate? Contains Bias and Propaganda 11. Who plays an important role in elections by emphasizing selected issues? Mass Media

Martinsville Bulletin: Armstrong and Poindexter Running for General Assembly 12. What role is the newspaper playing in the election process? Identifying Candidates 13. When a television station shows a debate they are showing… Different Points of View 14. What has limited the opportunities for candidates to run office? High Campaign Costs

15. Who has an advantage in election due to the high campaign costs 15. Who has an advantage in election due to the high campaign costs? The Wealthy 16. Who has gained influence by donating money to candidates? Special Interest Groups 17. Besides special interest groups who else raises money for candidates they support? PACs (Political Action Committees)

18. What is the name for the effort to limit the amount of money that can be contributed to candidates? Campaign Finance Reform 19. How can you register to vote? Registrar’s Office, Online, DMV, other designated sites or by Mail 20. How many days before the election must you register in order to vote? 22 Days

21. /22. What are the three qualifications to vote in Virginia. U. S 21./22. What are the three qualifications to vote in Virginia? U.S. Citizen, Virginia Resident, and 18 years old 23./24. What three factors separate voters from nonvoters? Age, Education, and Income 25. What is the number one reason people do NOT vote? Apathy (Lack of Interest)

26. TRUE/FALSE: Voter turnout is the highest during presidential elections. True 27. Who officially elects the President and Vice-President? Electoral College 28. The Electoral College is a winner-take-all system. Virginia has 13 Electoral votes so if a candidate wins Virginia they get – All 13 votes

29. The Electoral College favors a ____ party system. two 30 29. The Electoral College favors a ____ party system. two 30. Which states do candidates target due to the Electoral College system? States with large populations 31. When do candidates pay attention to small states? Tight elections

32. What determines the number of Electoral College members for each state? Congressional Representation meaning 2 Senators+ Members of the House Representatives = Number of Electoral College Members from each state. 33. TRUE/FALSE: There is no way for middle school students to participate in the election process. False