U.S. Politics and Elections: States, Counties, and Voting Behavior

List 2 states where Trump performed better in 2016 than Romney in 2012

Michigan, Wisconsin (also Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Maine, New York)

Why are two counties in Kansas blue?

They are urban counties with more people of color and lower-income populations that tend to vote Democratic

Why are Texas counties blue or red?

Blue counties are urban and diverse; red counties are rural, whiter, and more Republican

Compare Black Belt turnout in 2012 vs 2016

Fewer people voted in the Black Belt region in 2016

Which statement is NOT true about older Americans?

The vote of older Americans is more important in presidential elections than Congressional elections

Government support for unemployed workers

Liberal

Lower taxes on corporations

Conservative and Libertarian

Affirmative action

Liberal

Increased environmental regulations

Liberal

Allowing school-led prayer in public schools

Conservative

Reduced regulations on worker safety

Conservative and Libertarian

Legalizing recreational marijuana

Liberal and Libertarian

How does Jonathan Haidt explain immigration views?

Conservatives value loyalty and purity and prioritize citizens over immigrants

A teacher in New York City

Democrat

A Cuban American immigrant

Republican

A single mom from California

Democrat

A white farmer from Mississippi

Republican

A Black professor from Atlanta

Democrat

A truck driver from Nebraska

Republican

A 65-year-old white married woman

Republican

A Catholic from New Orleans

Democrat

Which is NOT a linkage institution?

Department of Defense

Who could vote under the original Constitution?

Voting rules were mostly left to the states

Importance of the 15th Amendment

States cannot deny voting rights based on race

Importance of the 19th Amendment

States cannot deny voting rights based on gender

Who decided voting rights before the 15th and 19th Amendments?

States

What is a caucus?

In-person meetings to choose party nominees

What is a primary?

Ballot voting to choose party nominees

Difference between open and closed primaries

Open allows any voter; closed requires party registration

Who decides whether a state holds a primary or caucus?

State political parties

Why do states want early primaries?

More candidate attention and voter influence

Which is NOT a benefit of primaries?

It increases voter registration and eligibility

Special voter registration lowers turnout

True

Voting age lowers turnout

False

Weekday elections lower turnout

True

Many elections lower turnout

True

High number of elderly voters lowers turnout

False

Three main factors that affect voter turnout

Higher income, higher education, older age

How many House members does a state with 11 electoral votes have?

Nine

How are electoral votes distributed in most states?

Winner-take-all

How are electoral votes distributed in Maine and Nebraska?

Democrat gets 7, Republican gets 4