politics exam

what was the purpose of the constitutional amendment proposed by the Tx legislature and approved by voter in 1995?

to allow cities and school boards to cancel elections if all races are uncontested

municipal elections in tx

are technically nonpartisan

if the post office in TC is unable to deliver a voter registration card, it will be voter registar, and

the voter will need to re-register in order to vote in future elections

all of the following contribute to legislate professionalism except

limited sessions

San antonio ran slates of candidates using a “nonpartisan organization” known as the

Good Government League

The annual registration system for Tx voters

was replaced by a permanent registration system

Professional associations in Tx

typically require members to have a state-issued license

which of the following types of polls would be considered somewhat legitimate but controversial and of relatively low scientific rigor

exit poll

The legislation HB 2003 passed by TX legislature, amending Tx penal Code, prohibited which of the following

harrasment through various mediums

The children Internet Protection Act (CIPA) uses federal funding to

help elementary and secondary schools filter internet materials harmful to children

The Federal Voting Rights Act

requires billugial ballots in certain precincts

An individual who is an active voter but avoids the combat and controversy of partisan companions is which type of political activist?

communalist

When is the county convention held?

the third Saturday after the primary election

what is the most important tool for intrest groups seeking to influence election outcomes?

money

In TX permanent party org, the state executive committee consists of __ members, equally divided between men and women

62

What best describes public opinion regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy instituted during the Obama administration?

There is more democratic support to keep DACA than there is a republican consensus to end it

People who only become involved in politics when they think the issue has a direct effect on them are considered

parochial participants

what term is used by political scientists to refer to a lasting shift in party allegiance or electoral support

realignment

Which of the following statements about television patterns is accurate?

between 2017-2018, viewership of most major networks declines

The 2014 ruling by the United State Court of Appeals for the D.C. circut that struck down the FCC’s open Internet Order had what effect at that time

ending network neutrality requirements for ISPs

On what day do TX vote for who will represent them in United States Congress?

the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of all even-number years

Individuals who vote based on very strong feelings about social issues such as abortion, gay rights, and gun control, to name a few are

activists

In order to vote in TX, a person must

register 30 days in advance of an election

What state legislation or court ruling finally made voting accesible to Hispanics

the voting rights act 1970, 1975, 1982, and 1990 language extension for non-english speakers

All the following are lobbying tactics EXCEPT

publishing a newsletter to keep interest group members informed

Whose election as governor in 1978 marked the real beginning of two-party politics in TX?

bill clements

Why was the Tx voter ID law rejected by the US justice Department

because the data TX provided demonstrated minorities would be adversely affected

By TX law, special elections may be held in all the following months EXCEPT

november

Bexar county, TX is an example of a what type of local government?

limited-purpose

In the 1952 and 1956 presidental elections, many Yellow Dog Democrats broke the tradition and voted for

Dwight D Eisenhower

The TX presidental primaries are held in which month?

March

A sample is determined and a poll conducted for that sample, but many respondents choose not to answer all the questions asked in the poll. This contributed to what type of error?

total versus actual sample size

an organization that collects and distributed money to canadites is known as

political action committee

Which of the following played a major role in the growth of the Texas Senator Wendy Davis’ campaign popularity in 2013, specifically during her filibuster of an abortion related bill

twitter traffic

As of 2016,

both parties in TX use primaries

If you wanted to run for statewide office in TX you could pay a filing fee of __ or submit a petition with _

$3,750; 83,000 signatures

special elections in TX

may occur to fill vacancies in the TX legislature or national House or Senate

Which of the following is true of the Catholic Church’s involvement in politics in recent decades?

Most of the activity has been driven by Hispanic Catholic

How did early voting change in TX in 2019?

a new law forced the closure of many early voting places that weren’t open for the entire mandated early voting period

what is the “Australian” ballot?

publicly casts votes on identical ballots

Texas has all the following types of government EXCEPT

townships

Texas required registration of lobbyists and disclosure of their activites for the first time in

1957

Which of the following statements about special districts governments in TX is accurate?

primary reason for the existence is to fill service gaps left by other units of government

The primary source of revenue for counties is

property tax

The National Rifle Association (NRA), the US Chamber of Commerce, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and the National Education Association (NEA) are all examples of groups that are

active on both the state and national levels

County governments in TX

lack general ordinance authority

Organized labor in TX is

very weak T

The Pendleton Act of 1883 established a class of federal government positions that would be filled as a result of

competitive examinations

The biggest change in modern politics is the use of

the Internet

in 2020, Tx voters elected

all the member of the TX HOR and 1/2 members of TX Senate

How do joint resolutions differ from concurrent resolutions?

They don’t require the governor’s signature

Which of the following informal qualifications for governor is nearly universal in TX?

having previously held elected office

A person sues starbucks because they were burned by it’s hot coffee. This is an example of

tort law

Which of the following correctly identifies the process of impeachment and removal of an officeholder by the legislature in TX?

vote by the house to impeach; trial in the senate; conviction and removal with two-thirds in the Senate

Who was the first TX govenor elected to three consecutive four-year terms?

Rick Perry

Which method of judical selection is a system left over from colonial America?

election by the legislature

Assume both the TX house and senate have passed omnibus transportation bills. The bills are almost identical, with slight differences. How will these differences be reconciled prior to the bill being sent to the governor for consideration?

in conference committee

What is the most important difference trial and appellate courts

deciding points of fact versus points of law

Who won the battle that led to the Independence of Texas from Mexico

Sam Houston

What best exmplains why TX turned from Democratic stronghold in the 1930’s to a republican stronghold in the 2000s?

The democratic party become more liberal over time and embraced the civil rights movement H

How are the appellate court judges selected in TX?

partisan election

The TX government vode allows jurisdictions to draw upon which sources for jury selection

both registered voters and licensed drivers

Of the following, who is most likely to be appointed to their initial seat on the court in TX?

a district court judge

Most court cases in TX deal with

controversies between individuals

In TX, appellate courts

decide whether procedure was followed

The TX legislature can override the governor’s general verto with a ___ vote in each house

two-thirds

In what way are TX, montana, nevada, and north dakota similar?

IN all, the state legislature only meets every other year.

The framers of the 1876 TX constitution adopted a plural executive system in order to

limit the power of the governor

The war that left to the declaration of the Republic of Texas began

in 1835

Which state leads the nation in the number of death row inmates waiting to executed?

California

Which of the following defines tenure of office?

both the legal ability of elected officials to succeed themselves and the term length

How are trial court judges selected in TX?

partisan election

the notion that all individuals possess inalienable rights and willingly submit to the government to protect those rights in embodied in

social contract theory

In TX, the trend in recent years has been to expand the staff of the governor’s office. Who was the first TX governor to use a professional staff of advisors

John Connolly

Article 1 of the TX constitution covers the

Bill of Rights

What percentage of the TX senate is usually elected during a presidential election year?

50%M

Most bills that are passed in the TX legislature

are passed in the last two weeks of a sessions

What is the pay of a member of the TX legislature, taking into account salary and per diem compensation, in a year that the legislature is in session?

$38,140

TX has two supreme courts because

it divides courts of last resort between criminal and civil cases

What office was created under the 1836 constitution to administer state-owned land?

General Land Office

One major difference between the US and the TX constitution is that

the TX constitution begins with bill of rights

How many deaths occurred between 2005 and 2021 in muncipal jails in TX?

188

TX has a relatively high execution rate even though

TX has likely put innocent people to death

The lieutenant governor

does not have to be from the same party that control the TX Senate

What does the TX constitution contain that the US constitution does not?

equal rights amendment

Given TXs’ political culture, which of the following best reflects a governmental policy the majority would support?

expanded tax credits for enticing businesses o move to TX

How many states, including TX, so not limit how long a person can serve as governor?

14

Tx is an example of a plural executive system because

power is divided among several elected officials

____ refers to temporary (30 day) stay of execution the governor of Texas may grant

reprieve

In an average legislative session in the Tx legislature, only about ___ of all bills make it out of committee to be considered in full session

a third

In tx, the state budget is submitted by

The legislative budget board

The governor of TX salary is ___ per year

153,750

Why does the US have dual court system?

the federal system of government

Of the six flags over Texas, which represented republics

Texas and Mexico

Which state leads the nation in the number of the prisoners executed?

Texas

Members of which of the following groups are most likely to identify themselves as Republican?

evangelical protestants

Minorty groups in TX

outnumber non-Hispanic whites in total population

If the office of governor is vacated in TX, the order of succession is

lieutenant governor, president pro temproe, speaker of the house, attorney general

Which flag was the 5th to fly over Tx

United States flag

Why is it very difficult to hold a specific person in TX government responsible for anything?

government is fragmented, and policy responsibility is divded