POLS 207 Exam 2 Review PDF

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Pols 207 Exam 2 Review...

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POLS 207 State and Local Government Review Sheet – Exam 2 This is a list of general topics you will need to know in order to do well on the second exam. The exam covers the topics of participation, political parties, legislatures, and governors (Chapters 5–8) 1) How do most people participate in the political system? Political participation includes voting, running for office, participating in marches or demonstrations, giving money, attending rallies or events, writing letters or emails, or discussing issues with friends (this class). 2) What is a rational voter? A "rational" voter is one who will vote on if the personal benefits outweigh the costs

Benefits: policy, civic duty, varies by individual Costs: time, information/becoming informed, also varies by individual It's not rational to vote (cost outweighs benefits): individual vote doesn't matter, especially in Texas and other non-battleground states 3) Know who votes and who does not Women are more likely to vote than men, Socioeconomic: High education/income means more likely to vote. Partisan competition related explanations: High turnout in swing states Media predicting winners early explanation: Discourages later voters 4) Why do some states have higher voter turnout? Voter registration differs significantly across states, same day registration (also election day registation) vs. 15-30 days in advance, Online, mail, ID, location, race, political ideology, Voter turnout rates are higher in "swing" or "battleground" states (their vote "counts" more) 5) How could voter turnout be increased? -Make registering to vote easier. -Make voting easier. -Online voting. -Hire invested and engaged poll workers. -Get people excited about politics between elections. -Incentives to vote. -Secure convenient locations -Secure larger venues -More voting machines (lines will be shorter), Better, more efficient workers, Shorter & better designed ballots

6) Who or what determines voter qualifications? "The constitutional rights, powers, and privileges of establishing voter qualifications, including voter registration requirements, are incidents of state sovereignty protected by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, the Tenth Amendment, and the Seventeenth Amendment. This power includes the power to obtain information the states deem necessary to assess eligibility or voter registration applicants, and to enforce voter qualifications. A mere oath without concrete evidence of citizenship...does not suffice."

-State determines voter qualifications. Generally includes voter eligibility and verification (IDs), voting locations and ease of voting, online Internet registration, ballot requests and voting. 7) Know the amendments to the U.S. Constitution that concern voting - 15th Amendment: banned racial discrimination in voting - 17th Amendment: two senators from each state elected by the people- 6 years - 19th Amendment: banned gender discrimination in voting- women’s suffrage - 24th Amendment: banned poll taxes (originally prevented African Americans) - 26th Amendment: voting age of 18 established

8) Know the responsible party model 1. Develop and clarify alternative policy positions for the voters 2. Educate the people about the issues and simplify choices for them 3. Recruit candidates for public office who agree with the parties' policy positions 4. Organize and direct their candidates' campaigns to win office 5. Hold their elected officials responsible for enacting the parties' policy positions after they are elected 6. Organize legislatures to ensure party control of policymaking. a party system in which each party offers clear policy alternatives and holds their elected officials responsible for enacting these policies in office

We expect parties to say what they mean and mean what they say As per this model, the parties: -Develop and clarify alternative policy positions for voters -Educate people about issues and simplify choices -Recruit candidates for office who agree with the party positions -Organize and direct their candidates to win elections -Hold their elected officials responsible for enacting the parties' policy positions after they were elected -Organize legislatures to ensure party control of policymaking

Problems with this model: -Parties generally do not offer voters clear policy alternatives -Voter decisions are not motivated primarily by policy considerations -American political parties have no way to bind their elected officials to party positions or even to their campaign pledges 9) Know the different types of primaries Open or closed primaries organize elections and narrow the choices of political office seekers confronting the voters. "Selection not election" Closed - only voters previously registered as members of a party may vote in that party's Semi closed- allow voters to change party registration on Election Day Open-allows voters to choose when they vote which primary they want to vote in Top two- all voters, regardless of primary vote in same primary, top 2 vote getters face off Blanket primary- (unconstitutional) -open primary in which candidates from both parties appear on same ballot. (voters could vote for both parties) Run off- held between top two vote getters in a primary where no candidate has received a majority of the vote 10) Know the different types of elections (i.e., general, primary, initiative, recall, etc.) Primary election: preliminary election used to determine which candidate will represent a political party during the general election ➢ General election: you don’t have to win the popular vote to win; nationwide ○ Winner takes all; plurality- more votes than the other candidate wins ○ Occurs in November, on first Tuesday following the first Monday ○ Used to determine the US president and other political officials ○ Elections in which “voters elect officeholders” ➢ Special election: elections in which voters decide on ballot initiatives ○ Vote on statewide constitutional changes or new constitutions ○ Elect a senator/representative to replace one who has died or resigned ➢ Recall election: procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended ➢ Initiative election: a process that enables citizens to bypass their state legislature by placing proposed statutes and, in some states, constitutional amendments on the ballot ➢ Referendum: a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct decision ○ Allows citizens to approve/disapprove proposals passed by state

11) What do the national party committees do? keep the party operating in between elections

They have the greatest role in presidential election years when they are responsible for planning the nominating convention and also spend heavily in support of their party's nominee (some of this spending is directly coordinated with the nominee's campaign; the rest is in independent expenditures).

12) When is negative campaigning successful? Negative campaigning: soliciting voter support by attacking one’s opponent ➢ When negative ads focus on political issues rather than personal qualities ○ Less personal and more on the issue (no personal attacks) ➢ When voters have come to dislike one candidate due to TV ads/internet videos ➢ Political beginners are more influenced by negative ads than older counterparts ➢ When you can change the perception of a rival candidate & they jump on board ○ Weaknesses in opponents are defined and dramatized ➢ When used by challengers rather than incumbents ➢ When the attacker is less known or underspending ➢ When released through media, not TV

13) Know the following Supreme Court cases: a. Baker v. Carr Districts have to be contiguous and take geography into account.

"The redistricting of state legislative districts is not a political question, and thus is justiciable by the federal courts." Ruled that the underrepresentation of race can be considered. b. Reynolds v Sims Districts in a state have to be roughly the same population. "The Court struck down state senate inequality, basing their decision on the principle of "one person, one vote." Ruled that the underrepresentation of race can be considered. 14) Know the functions of legislatures -Enacting laws: collectively consider 101,000 per session, pass about 19,000 -Considering constitutional amendment, gubernatorial (governor) appointments, and state courts: often shared process -Approving budgets: may be single most important function "Who gets what, when, and how?" Extremely political -Serving constituents: requires great deal of legislators' time Government works for you -Overseeing state agencies: frequently need to challenge state administrators Principal Agent Model: -Legislature is principal: enacts but cannot implement laws -Executive is agent: enforces but cannot enact laws -Principal oversees that agents enforces the laws correctly

15) Why do incumbents win? -Visibility - great visibility and name recognitions, spend time during term campaigning for reelection. -Resources of office - acquire greater resources, casework, 5 S's (space, salary, session length, staff, structure -Money - attract more campaign contributors than challenges -Professionalism & Careerism - high pay makes them devote all of their time to politics 16) What is apportionment? The determination of how many residents should live in a representative's district; must be equal (one person, one vote) The dividing up of seats in the U.S. Congress 17) What is gerrymandering? The drawing of electoral district boundary lines to grant political advantage to a particular party, candidate, or group 18) Know the different types of legislative sessions -annual - held by most states (once a year), 140 days -biennial – every other year, 140 days -special – 30 days called by the governor or in some states by legislative leadership, to consider special topics 19) What do committees do? Functions: most chambers will have 20 to 30 standing committees Personnel: assignment typically made by leadership, with occupational background a factor Committee preferences: generally reflect preferences of the chambers -Major bill analysis -Oversee implementation of laws -Draft legislation 20) Who determines the membership of legislative committees? Leadership of the state legislature 21) What is pigeonholing? Committee chair never schedules a committee hearing for the bill and it is ignored and dies 22) Know the requirements for election to the Texas State Legislature The requirements for holding office in Texas are minimal so that it is open to as many people as possible. A senator must be at least 26 years of age, a citizen of Texas five years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prior to election. Each senator serves a four-year term and one-half of the Senate membership

is elected every two years in even-numbered years, with the exception that all the Senate seats are up for election for the first legislature following the decennial census in order to reflect the newly redrawn districts. After the initial election, the Senate is divided by lot into two classes, with one class having a re-election after two years and the other having a re-election after four years. A representative must be at least 21 years of age, a citizen of Texas for two years prior to election and a resident of the district from which elected one year prielection. They are elected for two-year terms, running for re-election in evennumbered years.

23) How is legislative leadership chosen? Speaker of the House: chosen by the House members themselves, not by the voters. President of the Senate: Lieutenant Governor of Texas Committee chairs: appointment by the Speaker of the House/President of the Senate

24) How long is the legislative session in Texas? 140 days out of every 2 years...