Chapter 10

Question 1

Civil disobedience

Answer 1

Breaking the law in a nonviolent fashion and being willing to suffer the consequences, even to the point of going to jail, in order to publicly demonstrate that the law is unjust.

Question 2

coattails effect

Answer 2

“riding the presidents coattails into office” occurs in an election when voters also elect representatives or senators belonging to a successful presidential candidate’s party

Question 3

contingency election

Answer 3

an election held in the House if no candidate receives the required majority in the electoral college

Question 4

deviating election

Answer 4

election in which the minority party captures the white house because of short-term intervening forces, and thus a deviation from the expectation that power will remain in the hands of the dominant party.

Question 5

faithless elector

Answer 5

member of the electoral college who casts his or her vote for someone other than the state’s popular vote winner.

Question 6

federal matching funds

Answer 6

system under which presidential candidates who raise enough money in the required way may apply for and receive matching federal grants.

Question 7

good-character test

Answer 7

a requirement that voting applicants wishing to vote produce two or more registered voters to vouch for their integrity

Question 8

independent expenditures

Answer 8

funds dispersed as allowed by a loophole in campaign financial law, by a group or person not coordinated by a candidate in the name of the cause

Question 9

initiative

Answer 9

a proposal submitted by the public and voted on during the elections

Question 10

issue advocacy

Answer 10

the process of campaigning to persuade the public to take a position on an issue

Question 11

literacy test

Answer 11

a requirement that voting applicants had to demonstrate and understanding of national and state constitution. Primarily used to keep African Americans from voting in the south.

Question 12

maintaining election

Answer 12

election in which the majority party of the day wins both the white house and congress maintaining its control on the government

Question 13

midterm elections

Answer 13

elections in which Americans elect members of congress but not presidents.

Question 14

political violence

Answer 14

violent actions motivated primarily by political aims ans intended to have political impact

Question 15

poll tax

Answer 15

a fee that had to be paid before one could vote

Question 16

protest

Answer 16

expression of dissatisfaction; may take the form of demonstrations, or simple “opting out” of the system by not voting or participating

Question 17

realigning election

Answer 17

election characterized by massive shifts in partisan identification

Question 18

referendum

Answer 18

a proposal submitted by state legislature to the public for popular vote. Often focusing on whether a state should spend money a certain way

Question 19

retrospective voting

Answer 19

a particularly powerful form of issue voting in which voters look back over the past term of two and judge how well an incumbent has done in office

Question 20

soft money

Answer 20

campaign contributions directed in advancing the interest of a political party or an issue in general, rather then a specific candidate.

Question 21

split-ticket ballots

Answer 21

ballots on which people vote for candidates from more than one party

Question 22

straight-party ticket

Answer 22

ballots on which people vote for candidates from only one party