Gov Unit 2 Test
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- List and Explain the types of automated voting:
- Electronic Vote Counting-paper ballots scanned by machines and touch screens. Vote-by-mail elections-voters recieve a ballot in the mail, make their choice, and mail it back. Online Voting-casting ballots via Internet.
- Explain the Australian Ballot, it's essential features, and the 2 varieties that have developed:
- -Voting ballot devised in Australia thats: 1-Printed at public expense. 2-Lists the names of all candidates in an election. 3-Given out only at the polls, one to each qualified voter. 4-Marked in secret. Office-Group Ballot-the candidates for an office are grouped together under the title of that office. Party-Column Ballot-lists each parties candidates in a column under the party's name.
- List and explain the 5 ways nominations are made in the U.S.:
- Self announcement-A person who wants to run for office simply states that fact. Sometimes used by someone who failed to win the regular party nomination or is upset with the party's choice. Caucus-a group of like-minded people who meet to select the candidates they will support in an upcoming election. Convention-A party's members meet in a local caucus to pick candidates for local office, and, at the same time, to select delegates to represent them at a county convention. County convention->State Convention->National Convention. Direct Primary-an intra-party election held within a party to pick that party's candidates for general election. Petition-candidates for public office are nominated by means of petition signed by a certain required number of qualified voters in the election district.
- List and explain teh sociological and psychological factors affecting voting:
- Sociological Income-occupation-Republicans more likely to have higher income, Democrats more likely to have lower income. Education-college graduates are more likely to vote republican. Gender/age-women are more likely to be democrats while men are more likely to be republicans. Younger are more likely to be democrats while older are more likely to be republicans. Religious/Ethnic Background-Catholic/Jewish/African Americans/Latinos are more likely to be democratic while Whites are more likely to be republican. Geography-most southerners are republican while northerners are democratic. Small towns usually vote republican while big cities vote democratic. Family & other groups-families usually all vote the same. Psychological Factors: Party Identification-loyalty of people to a particular party. Candidates & Issues-identify with a party because of it's candidates and issues.
- List and explain the qualifications for voting imposed by the States:
- Citizenship-foreign born aliens who have not become legal citizens are denied the right to vote in the U.S. Residence-must be a legal resident in the State you wish to vote. Age-must be at least 18 years old to vote. Registration-all states, besides North Dakota, requires most or all voters to be registered in order to identify voters and prevent fraudulent voting.
- List 5 restrictions placed on the States power to set qualifications for voting:
- 1-If you can vote for state legislature you can vote in federal elections. 2-No State can deny any person of the right to vote on account of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude (15th Amendment). 3-No State can deny any person the right to vote on account of gender (19th amendment). 4-No State can require payment of any tax as a condition for taking part in the nomination as election of any federal office holder (24th amendment). 5-No State can deny any person who is at least 18 years of age the right to vote based on age (26th amendment).
- List and define the 4 elements in the structure of the major political parties:
- National Conventions-meets every summer of a presidential election year to nominate the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates. National Committee-between conventions, the party's affairs are handled by the National Committee and the national chairperson. In theory, it's powerful, but actually, it just works on staging the National Convention. National Chairperson-leader of the national committee that's chosen by the just-nominated presidential candidate for a 4-year term where they direct the work of teh party's headquarters. Congressional Campaign Committee-work to reelect incumbents and make sure seats given up by retiring party members remain in the party.
- List, explain, and give examples of the 4 types of Minor Parties in the U.S.:
- Ideological Parties-those parties based on a particular set of beliefs-a comprehensive view of social, economic, and political matters. Ex: Marxist Parties Single-Issue Parties-focus on only one public policy matter. Ex: Right-to-Life Party Economic Protest Parties-parties are upset with the current economic situation and demand better times. Ex:The Greenback Party. Splinter Parties-parties that have split away from one of the major parties. Ex: Bull-Moose Party.
- Explain the reasons that people identify with political parties:
- Family-your parents political ideas become your political ideas, especially early in your life. Major Events-things that happen in your life that help persuade you to a certain side or belief. Economics-poorer people are usually democrats while richer people are usually republican. Other-Age, College education, wage, interests.
- Define political party and explain the 5 functions of American Political Parties:
- Political Party-a group of people who seek to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office. Nominating Candidates-selecting candidates for elections and presenting them to the voters. Informing and activating supporters-parties inform the people and activate their interest and participation in public affairs. The Bonding Agent Function-te party acts as a bonding agent to ensure their good performance of it's candidates and office-holders. Governing-parties play a large role in government because they "choose the conduct" of an office holder and the office holder conducts much of their business by partisanship-party support. Acting as Watchdog-parties out of power(not in control of executive branch) criticize the party in power in order to gain support of the people and win the next election.
- List and explain the functions of interest groups:
- Stimulate interest in public affairs:those issues and events that convern the people at large. Representation of members-basis of shared attitudes rather than the basis of geography. Less about where the people live and more about how they make their living. Information to Government-provide useful, specialized, and detailed information to government about things that help improve public policy such as employment, price levels, or sales of homes. They also recieve information from public agencies and pass it on to the public. Vehicles for Polticial Participation-a means through which like-minded citizens can pool their resources and channel energies to collective political action. Checks and Balances-interest groups add another element to the system by keeping tabs on the work of various public agencies and officials and make sure they're performing their tasks effectively and responsibly. Public Arena Competing-they regularly compete with other interest groups which places a very real limit on the lengths to which some groups might otherwise go to advance their own interests.
- Explain the major provisions of the Help America Vote Act of 2002:
- -Replace all their lever-operated and punch card voting devices by the year 2006-to prevent fraudulent voting and miscounting. -Upgrade their administration of elections, especially through the better training of local election officials and of those who work in precinct polling places on election day. -Centralize and computerize their voter registration systems to facilitate the identification of qualified voters on election day and so minimize fraudulent voting. -Provide for provisional voting, so a person whose eligibility to vote has been challenged can cast a ballot that will be counted if it's later found that he or she is in fact qualified to vote.
- List, explain, and give examples of economic interest groups:
- Business Groups-work to promote business interests in their field. Ex: NAM-National Association of Manufacturers. Labor Unions-organization of workers who share the same type of job or work in the same industry. Ex:AFL-CIO-American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organization. Agricultural Groups-serve the interest of farming, agriculture, and farm living. Ex: National Grange Professional groups-work to gain ground in those occupations that require extensive and specialized training. Ex: ABA-American Bar Association
- Explain the 4 ways political parties and interest groups differ:
- Making of Nominations-parties nominate candidates for public office, interest groups do not. Primary Focus-Parties are focused on winning elections and controlling government while Interest Groups are concerned with influencing the policies of government. Interest Scope-parties are concerned with the whole range of public affairs while interest groups almost always concentrate on only those issues that most directly affect interests of their members. Accountability-interest groups are private organizations that aren't accountable to the public while parties are accountable.