TX Chapter 8

Question 1

Absentee voting

Answer 1

A process that allows a person to vote early, before the regular election; applies to all elections in Texas; also called early voting

Question 2

Ballot form

Answer 2

The forms used by voters to cast their ballots; each county, with approval of the secretary of state, determines the form of the ballot

Question 3

Blanket primary

Answer 3

A nominating election in which voters could switch parties between elections

Question 4

Closed primary system

Answer 4

A nominating election that is closed to all voters except those who have registered as a member of that political party

Question 5

Crossover voting

Answer 5

Occurs when voters leave their party and vote in the other party’s primary

Question 6

Filing fee

Answer 6

A fee or payment required to get a candidate’s name on the primary or general election ballot

Question 7

Focus groups

Answer 7

Panel of “average citizens” who are used by political consultants to test ideas and words for later use in campaigns

Question 8

General elections

Answer 8

Regular elections held every two years to elect state officeholders

Question 9

Independent candidate

Answer 9

A person whose name appears on the ballot without a political party designation

Question 10

Minor party

Answer 10

A party other than the Democratic or Republican Party; to be a minor party in Texas, the organization must have received between 5 and 19% of the vote in the past election

Question 11

Office block format

Answer 11

Ballot where candidates are listed by office with party affiliation listed by their name; most often used with computer ballots

Question 12

Open primary system

Answer 12

A nominating election that is open to all registered voters regardless of party affiliation

Question 13

Party caucus

Answer 13

A meeting of members of a political party that is used by minor political parties in Texas to nominate candidates

Question 14

Party column format

Answer 14

Paper ballot from where candidates are listed by party and by office

Question 15

Party raiding

Answer 15

Occurs when members of one political party vote in another party’s primary in an effort to nominate a weaker candidate or spilt the vote among the top candidates

Question 16

Primary election

Answer 16

An election used by major political parties in Texas to nominate candidates for the November general election

Question 17

Runoff primary

Answer 17

Election that is required if no person receives a majority in the primary election; primarily used in southern and border states

Question 18

Semi-closed primary system

Answer 18

A nominating election that is open to all registered voters, but voters are required to declare party affiliation when they vote in the primary election

Question 19

Semi-open primary system

Answer 19

Voter may choose to vote in the primary election of either party on election day; voters are considered “declared” for the party in whose primary they vote

Question 20

“Sore loser” law

Answer 20

Law in Texas that prevents a person who lost the primary vote from running as an independent or minor party candidate

Question 21

Voting Rights Act

Answer 21

A federal law that allows the U.S. Justice Department to oversee the operation of voter registration and elections at the state level

Question 22

Write-in candidate

Answer 22

A person whose name does not appear on the ballot; voters must write in that person’s name, and the person must have led a formal notice that he or she was a write-in candidate before the election