VV - ch 1-5

Question 1

Big Four:

Answer 1

Collis Huntington, Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford, and Charles Crocker: 4 railroad tycoons who had too much power over California politics, and owned Central (Southern) Pacific Railraod

Question 2

Realignment:

Answer 2

The process of shifting state prison inmates to county jails and parole in order to reduce prison overcrowding

Question 3

Redlining:

Answer 3

Keeping ethnic minorities out of desirable neighborhoods

Question 4

Supermajority:

Answer 4

Requires reaching a 50%+1 threshold. Common in CA for raising taxes and passing urgency measures

Question 5

Cross-filing

Answer 5

Early form of open primary election: People of any political party could have their name put on any party’s ballot and keep their party preference hidden.

Question 6

Prop 13: (1978)

Answer 6

Limited property taxes to 1% of purchase price of a property; imposed a 2/3rds voting threshold for raising taxes; got CA to use initiatives again

Question 7

Steps in the initiative process:

Answer 7

Prep stage - Drafting/Public Review/Tilting
Qualification stage - Petitions/signatures/signature verification
Campaign stage - persuading voters
Post selection stage - court challenges and implementation