Ch. 10 Quiz: Elections and Campaigns

How is the number of electors assigned to each state determined?

Census data

The number of electoral votes a state receives corresponds to what?

The number of senators and members of the House of Representatives for the state

Which two U.S. states can split their electoral votes?

Nebraska and Maine

What does a candidate need to win a presidential election?

A majority of electoral votes

What powers does the vice president have when it comes to counting the electoral votes before Congress?

No formal powers to change the electoral outcome.

How many times in history has the president won an election but not the popular vote?

Five

How often do senatorial elections take place?

Every six years

How long are terms for members of the House of Representatives?

Two years

What is it called when state legislatures redraw district lines to try to keep districts equal in terms of population?

Redistricting

In 1991, a redistricting in North Carolina was designed to create a district with African Americans in the majority. Later, federal courts ruled that the state had to revise those district lines so that the congressional district was more compact. What is this politicization of drawing district boundaries called?

Gerrymandering

A concerned voter worries that their current representative is spending too much time working towards reelection and not enough time promoting and passing good policy. Which term best describes this change in the representative's focus?

Permanent campaign

What is the period before the primaries during which candidates attempt to capture party support and media coverage called?

The invisible primary

During which event does the party name its presidential and vice-presidential candidates and lay out the party's plan for government?

The national convention

What groups can raise and give an unlimited amount of money to political candidates?

Super PACs

Which statement describes spending on presidential elections from 1992 to 2016?

It has risen sharply.

Which of the following was considered a swing state in the 2020 election?

Texas

What are noncontroversial issues that are not likely to differ between candidates called?

Valence issues

What are controversial topics used in campaigns to break up an opponent's coalitions called?

Wedge issues

What is one advantage of people who run for Congress and have previously held a local office?

They can better mobilize core supporters and volunteers.

What are elections called that occur in between the four-year presidential election cycles?

Midterm elections

What usually happens to total seats in the House of Representatives at the midterm elections?

The president's party usually loses seats.

Vanishing marginals describe a trend of declining competition in elections. In this context, what are noncompetitive districts called?

Safe seats

What is it called when a popular president running for reelection brings additional party candidates into office?

The presidential coattails effect

In December 2013, with President Barack Obama's popularity sagging and a struggling economy, many quality Democratic candidates decided not to run in the 2014 elections. What is this called?

The strategic politician hypothesis

On which type of issues will House of Representative elections focus on, primarily?

Issues intrinsic to the district.