Chapter 3

Question 1

A legislature that consists of two separate chambers or houses

Answer 1

Bicameral

Question 2

A proposed new law or change to existing law brought before a legislative chamber by a legislative member.

Answer 2

Bill

Question 3

A citizen-initiated petition that forces consideration or votes on certain legislation and amendments rather than having these actions come from the legislature.

Answer 3

Citizen Initiative

Question 4

A legislature that attempts to keep the role of a state legislator to a part-time function so that many or most citizens can perform it; low pay, few staffing resources, infrequent sessions.

Answer 4

Citizen Legislature

Question 5

An elected official who acts as an agent of the majority that elected her or him to office and carries out, to the extent possible, the wishes of that majority

Answer 5

Delegate

Question 6

The practice of incumbents creating very oddly shaped electoral districts to maximize their political advantage in an upcoming election

Answer 6

Gerrymandering

Question 7

a type of election in which second-place votes are considered in instances where no candidate has received a majority of the vote; winner determined by adding first and second-place votes

Answer 7

Instant Runoff

Question 8

this group steps in if the state legislature is unable to pass a redistricting plan or when a state or federal court invalidates a plan submitted by the legislature; active only w/ respect to redistricting of the state legislature.

Answer 8

Legislative Redistricting Board

Question 9

A type of election in which a candidate must receive 50 percent of the vote plus on additional vote to be declared the winner; simply winning the most votes is not sufficient.

Answer 9

Majority Election

Question 10

An election district in which the majority of the population comes from a racial minority

Answer 10

Majority-Minority District

Question 11

election system in which the state is divided into many election districts, but each district elects more than one person to the state legislature

Answer 11

Multi-Member District

Question 12

A system of drawing electoral district lines that attempt to remove politics from the process of redistricting.

Answer 12

Nonpartisan or Bipartisan Independent Commission

Question 13

term for requirement of the U.S. Supreme Court that election districts should be roughly equal in population.

Answer 13

One Person, One Vote

Question 14

A candidate’s identifiable membership in a political party, often listen on an election ballot.

Answer 14

Party Affiliation

Question 15

electoral contest to win a political party’s nomination for the right to appear as its candidate on the ballot in the general election.

Answer 15

Party Primary

Question 16

a type of election in which the candidate with the most votes wins the election

Answer 16

Plurality Election

Question 17

elected official expected to follow the wishes of the electorate on some issues but on others is given leeway; hybrid of trustee and delegate

Answer 17

Politico

Question 18

Theory that citizens, or principles, choose someone to speak or act on their behalf in the government

Answer 18

Principle-Agent Theory of Representation

Question 19

meets annually, 9+months of the year, high salary and generous allowance to hire support and research staff.

Answer 19

Professional Legislature

Question 20

The periodic adjustment of the lines of electoral district boundaries.

Answer 20

Redistricting

Question 21

Legislature meeting required by constitution/law. Texas Leg. meets every other year for 140 days.

Answer 21

Regular Session

Question 22

The relationship bewtween an elected official and the elctorate.

Answer 22

Representation

Question 23

A type of election in SMDM that is held when an election fails to yield a clear majority winner in the initial balloting; runoff is limited to the top two vote-getters from the initial election, ensuring a majority win.

Answer 23

Runoff Election

Question 24

an election system in which the state is divided into many election districts, and each district elects just one person to the state legislature.

Answer 24

Single-Member District

Question 25

meetings of a legislature that occur outside the regular legislative session; in Texas, called by the gov. and last thirty days.

Answer 25

Special Session

Question 26

a majority that is larger than a simple majority of 50 percent plus 1; include requirements of 60 percent, two-thirds, three-fourths, or 80 percent to make a decision.

Answer 26

Supramajority

Question 27

A legal limitation on the number of terms an elected official may serve in office.

Answer 27

Term limit

Question 28

elected official entrusted to act in the interests of the electorate based on his/her knowledge; understood to be better informed than the broader electorate

Answer 28

Trustee

Question 29

when current officeholders step down from office and are replaced by new officeholders; may result from retirement, defeat in an election, or term limits.

Answer 29

Turnover