Chapter 5: Political Attitudes and Participation

Question 1

Chapter 5: Political Attitudes and Participation Objectives

Answer 1

1. Summarize recent disputes about voter fraud and voting restrictions.
2. Describe the role of elections within the U.S. political system.
3. Explain how states regulate elections.
4. Describe the voting process in America.
5. Identify the different positions for which elections are used.
6. Discuss the role of public opinion in elections and representation.

Question 2

Nonpartisan election

Answer 2

An election in which the candidates do not have to declare party affiliation or receive a party’s nomination; local offices and elections are often nonpartisan.

Question 3

Office group (Massachusetts) ballot

Answer 3

A ballot in which candidates are listed by name under the title of the office they are seeking.

Question 4

Party column (Indiana) ballot

Answer 4

A ballot in which the names of candidates are divided into columns arranged according to political party.

Question 5

Plurality

Answer 5

The highest number of votes garnered by any of the candidates for a particular office but short of an outright majority.

Question 6

Recall

Answer 6

A way for voters to oust an incumbent politician prior to the next regularly scheduled election; they collect signatures to qualify the recall proposal for the ballot and then vote on the ouster of the politician.

Question 7

Redistricting

Answer 7

The drawing of new boundaries for congressional and state legislative districts, usually following a decennial census.

Question 8

Secret (Australian) ballot

Answer 8

A ballot printed by a state that allows voters to pick and choose among different candidates and party preferences in private.

Question 9

Straight ticket

Answer 9

Originally, a type of ballot that allowed voters to pick all of one party’s candidates at once; today, voting a straight ticket refers to voting for all of one party’s candidates for various offices—for instance, voting for all Democrats or all Republicans.

Question 10

Voter turnout

Answer 10

The percentage of voting-eligible citizens who register to vote and do vote.

Question 11

Negative Liberty

Answer 11

Freedom FROM something. The absence of a constraint / impediment

Question 12

Positive Liberty

Answer 12

Freedom TO. Laws create conditions in which liberty can be exercised. The law itself is not restricting

Question 13

Quorum

Answer 13

The minimum number of members in an assembly that must be present to make the proceedings of that meeting valid. (The minimum amount of people needed at a meeting)