Texas Govt 1133 – Exam 3 Study Sheet

Texas Government 1133 – Exam 3 Study Sheet

Public Opinion

  • Definition:

    • Values and attitudes regarding issues and leaders.

  • Agents Influencing Public Opinion:

    • Family

    • Education

    • Peers

    • Media

    • Events

  • Founders’ Views on Public Opinion:

    • James Madison:

    • Emphasized that factions are inevitable within a society.

    • Alexis de Tocqueville:

    • Argued that public opinion fundamentally governs America.

  • Polling:

    • Gallup:

    • Recognized as the father of modern polling.

    • Types of Polls:

    • Straw Poll: An informal survey of opinion.

    • Random Sample: Every individual has an equal chance of being selected.

    • Stratified Sample: The population is divided into strata (segments) and random samples are taken from each.

    • Exit Poll: Conducted immediately after voters cast their ballots, used for predicting outcomes.

    • Tracking Poll: Measures changes in public opinion over time.

    • Push Poll: Polls that are designed to sway opinions rather than measure them.

  • Effects of Polling:

    • Horse Race Focus: Media coverage that emphasizes who is winning rather than substantive issues.

    • Bandwagon Effect: Increased likelihood of support for a candidate or issue that appears to be leading.

    • Rally-Round-the-Flag Effect: Increased support for leaders in times of international crisis.

  • Ideologies:

    • Conservative:

    • Advocates for limited government and traditional values.

    • Liberal:

    • Advocates for an active government role and promoting equality.

  • Low-Information Rationality:

    • The concept that voters use shortcuts such as party affiliation or candidate personality traits to make electoral decisions.

Political Parties in Texas

  • Roles of Political Parties:

    • Recruit candidates

    • Fundraise

    • Educate the electorate

    • Mobilize voters (Get Out The Vote - GOTV)

    • Goal: To win elections.

  • Historical Context of Political Parties in Texas:

    • 1873–1940: Dominance of the Democratic Party.

    • 1950s: Emergence of Shivercrats and Tidelands, leading to the rise of the Republican Party.

    • 1978: First GOP governor, Bill Clements.

    • 1994–Present: Continuous control of state politics by the GOP.

  • Symbols of Political Parties:

    • Democratic Party:

    • Symbolized by the donkey, associated with Andrew Jackson.

    • Republican Party:

    • Symbolized by the elephant, popularized by Thomas Nast.

  • Factions within Parties:

    • Republican Party (GOP):

    • Comprises factions like business interests, MAGA supporters, and evangelicals.

    • Democratic Party:

    • Comprises urban liberals and minority groups.

  • Future Shifts in Political Landscape:

    • Anticipated growth in the Latino and youth populations may trend Texas toward a more purple (swing) state.

Campaigns & Elections in Texas

  • Election Dates:

    • General elections occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

    • Presidential elections every four years; gubernatorial elections occur during midterms.

  • Primaries:

    • Texas utilizes an open primary system allowing voters to choose which party's primary to participate in.

    • Runoffs take place when no candidate secures a majority.

  • Sore-Loser Law:

    • Prevents candidates who lose a primary election from running as independents.

  • Voting Rights Milestones:

    • Poll Tax: Abolished through the 24th Amendment.

    • White Primary: Nullified by the Supreme Court in Smith v. Allwright (1944).

    • Jaybird Club: Addressed in Terry v. Adams (1953).

    • Voting Rights Act of 1965: Ended literacy tests and aimed to eliminate discriminatory voting practices.

  • 19th Amendment (1920):

    • Granted women the right to vote; Texas ratified this amendment in 1919.

  • Modern Voting Rules:

    • Minimum voting age is 18, must be a U.S. citizen, and Texas residency requirement is at least 30 days.

    • Seven forms of photo identification are permitted for voting.

  • Turnout Statistics:

    • Texas ranks in the bottom 5 states for voter turnout.

    • 2024 predicted voter turnout: 56.5%.

    • 2020 voter turnout: 66.8%.

Voting & Political Participation

  • Political Efficacy:

    • Refers to the individual's belief in their ability to influence government policy and decision-making.

  • Types of Political Participation (Verba & Nie):

    • Inactives: Do not participate in any form of political activity.

    • Voting Specialists: Engage primarily in voting but not in other forms of political participation.

    • Parochial Participants: Participate in local issues only.

    • Campaigners: Actively engage in campaigns and political efforts.

    • Communalists: Focus more on community activities rather than political contests.

    • Activists: Highly involved in political processes and advocacy.

    • Unconventional Participants: Engage in uncommon forms of political activity, such as protests.

  • Voter ID Law (2011/2013):

    • Supporters argue it prevents voter fraud.

    • Opponents contend it suppresses voter turnout.

  • Turnout Metrics:

    • Voter Age Population (VAP): The percentage of the population eligible to vote.

    • Voting Eligible Population (VEP): The percentage of those legally eligible to vote.

  • Campaign Financing:

    • There is a limit of $3,500 per race for contributions, with an aggregate cap of $7,000 total.

  • Lasswell Quote:

    • "Politics is who gets what, when, and how."