Elections: Part One

These flashcards cover key concepts and important details related to elections, including state, local, and congressional elections, their professionalism, and mechanisms such as redistricting and ballot access.

State and local elections make up about __ of elections in the US.

96%.

State and local elections attract very low levels of __.

voter turnout.

Professionalism in Ohio allows lawmakers to meet __.

year-round.

Ohio legislators have a salary of around __ per year.

$71,000.

The Ohio legislature is supported by approximately __ staff members.

425.

Texas legislators are compensated at __ per month.

$600.

In Texas, the state legislature can meet for __ days in odd-numbered years.

140.

Over __% of city council and mayoral elections are non-partisan.

75.

Community issues are unique to __.

the community.

Most states limit the number of terms a __ can serve.

governor.

State legislatures are generally less __ than Congress.

professional.

National forces have the greatest impact on __.

state governors.

Coattail effects occur when popular __ candidates attract support for down-ballot races.

presidential.

A popular referendum proposes to eliminate or modify an existing __.

law.

An emergency election to decide if an official can remain in office is called a __ election.

recall.

House of Representatives members must be at least __ years old.

25.

Senate members must be at least __ years old.

30.

Midterm elections occur __ there is a presidential election.

when.

Each state elects __ Senators in statewide elections.

two.

Seats in the House of Representatives are apportioned after every __.

census.

Reapportionment has been required since the Supreme Court decision __.

Baker v. Carr (1962).

After apportionment, states must divide into districts of __ population.

equal.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission is made up of __ members.

7.

A supermajority is required for a __ map in Ohio.

10-year.

If the legislature fails, the fallback is a __ year map.

4.

Problems in redistricting include the difficulty of passing plans in __ times.

partisan.

Different ballot access requirements often involve signatures from a percentage of __ voters.

registered.

Candidates for statewide offices require __ qualified electors in Ohio.

1,000.

Independent candidates require __ qualified electors in Ohio.

5,000.

In primary elections, members of the same political party run against __.

each other.

Senate elections generally attract more high-quality __.

challengers.

Political parties prioritize protecting __ in congressional races.

incumbents.

The incumbency advantage is defined as the vote share earned by an incumbent compared to a __.

non-incumbent.

In the Senate, the average incumbency rate is around __%.

80.

Reasons for the incumbency advantage include name recognition and __ privileges.

franking.

Gerrymandering creates __ districts for both parties.

safe.

Competitive congressional elections have become rarer since the middle of the __ century.

20th.

Decreased competitiveness can undermine democratic __.

accountability.

Proposed solutions to decrease competitiveness include term limits and redistricting __.

reform.

The Ohio General Assembly's redistricting process requires approval by __ to pass a 10-year map.

a supermajority.

The commission in Ohio must adopt a bipartisan map with at least __ votes.

4.

The fallback plan allows the legislature to pass a map by __ majority.

simple.

Redistricting in Ohio includes a requirement for maps to be valid for __ years if passed.

10.

In off-cycle elections, voter turnout is generally __ than in regularly scheduled elections.

lower.

A legislative referendum is proposed by the __ to change state law.

legislature.

Constitutionally, House members must be U.S. citizens for at least __ years.

7.

Every two years, __ of the Senate is up for election.

1/3.

The signature requirement for minor party candidates is one-half the number required of __ parties.

major.

States that allow ballot initiatives enable citizens to vote directly on __ policy.

public.

Elections in odd-numbered years are often called __ elections.

off-cycle.

Legislators in Texas receive a per diem of __ when in session.

$221.

In the Ohio general assembly, if the legislature fails to enact a qualified map, the responsibility shifts to a __ Commission.

Redistricting.

In congressional primaries, open seats are more likely to attract __.

challengers.

The __ advantage generally results in incumbents receiving more votes than challengers.

incumbency.

Measures of competitiveness in elections have declined due to increasing party __.

loyalty.

The public financing of challengers is a proposed solution to combat declining __.

competitiveness.

In local elections, over 75% of city council races are __ elections.

non-partisan.

Compensation for Ohio legislators reflects the __ nature of their position.

full-time.

The vacancy of a U.S. Senate seat leads to a __ Senate election for the remainder of the term.

special.

Term limits in state elections typically limit governors to __ terms.

2.

The majority of local elections use __ elections instead of district-based ones.

at large.

Senate elections are typically __ competitive than House races.

more.

The term __ refers to the practice where parties draw district lines to benefit themselves.

gerrymandering.

Every ten years, a census is conducted to determine the __ of House seats.

apportionment.

House districts must be of __ size according to Supreme Court rulings.

equal.