State Election Proceedings

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AP Government and Politics › State Election Proceedings

Questions 1 - 4
1

In the latter half of the nineteenth century, many states imposed Jim Crow laws, including electoral restrictions in an effort to prevent non-white citizens from voting. Which of the following was NOT a voter suppression tactic enacted by municipal and state governments?

Threats of Violence

Poll Taxes

Literacy Tests

Grandfather Clauses

Evidence of Residency Records

Explanation

While each of the answers is a real voter suppression tactic, threats of violence were performed on local community scales, as opposed to legal tactics enacted by municipal and state governments.

2

The term “frontloading” refers to which of the following?

States moving their primaries earlier and earlier to have more influence on the outcome

Writing the most important items into the beginning of pieces of legislation

The President passing as many laws as he can in the first 100 days of his term

The allocation of the most funds to the states that joined the Union first

More voters showing up for presidential elections than midterm elections

Explanation

The correct answer is "States moving their primaries earlier and earlier to have more influence on the outcome." States who have earlier primaries have more influence over the outcome of the nomination process. Because of this, states have moved their dates earlier and earlier in the calendar year, in a process known as frontloading.”

3

The boundaries of congressional districts are decided by __________.

the state legislature

the governor's office

The Department of the Interior

The Supreme Court of The United States

the lower courts of the Judicial Branch

Explanation

The various boundaries of the United States' congressional districts within each state are generally determined by the State Legislatures of those states.

4

In an open-seat election __________.

there is no incumbent candidate

there is an equal split among the eligible voters for both parties

there is an opportunity for an independent candidate to gain a seat

the media controls who will get elected

the President is able to choose his favored candidate for election

Explanation

An open-seat election occurs when an incumbent either dies or retires during office, leaving a seat completely vacant. This is particularly important, because in a standard election incumbent candidates win a large majority of the time, so an open-seat provides an opportunity to multiple people, who might otherwise have no chance of being elected.

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