Political Process Test Study Guide
Binder Notes pages 6-20 (including vocabulary)
List the three qualifications to register & vote in Virginia
1.
2.
3.
Where (or how) may a person register to vote in Virginia?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Voter registration is closed ___________ days before a general election.
The factors that predict which citizens are most likely to vote are
1.
2.
3.
The main reasons why citizens don’t vote are:
1.
2.
More people participate in ______________________ elections than in state and local elections.
Every vote is ____________.
Political Parties
Political parties play a key role in __________________________ .
They provide opportunities for ____________________ to participate in the political ______________.
The four functions of political parties are:
1. recruiting & nominating ______________
2. educating the ____________________ about campaign _________.
3. helping _______________________ win _______________________.
4. monitoring actions of _______________________________.
The American political process is characterized by a ________-__________ system.
The major parties in the U.S. are the ______________________ Party and the ___________________ Party.
Place “liberals,” “conservatives,” and “Moderates” on the spectrum below.
Political Spectrum
List at least 5 issues or positions typically taken by each party.
Democrats
Republicans
_____________________ __________________ rarely win elections but they play an important role in the
political process because they can take votes away from a major party and determine the outcome of the
election. Third parties do the following:
Introduce new ____________________ or press for a particular ________________
Often revolve around a political ________________________________ (such as Ralph Nader or
Theodore Roosevelt)
To make informed choices, voters must _______________________ ______________________
presented in political campaigns.
When evaluating campaign speeches, ads, and debates, citizens need to
Separate _________________________ from _______________________
Detect ___________________________
Evaluate _________________________
Identify _________________________
“Bandwagon,” “Glittering Generalities,” “Name Calling,” and “Just Plain Folks” are strategies used in
candidates’ campaigns. These are examples of __________________________.
Mass media examples: electronic (TV, Internet, radio) & print (newspapers, magazines, newsletters)
Role of the media in elections
Identify ________________
Emphasize selected ________________________
Write ______________________________
Create __________________ cartoons
Publish ________________ pieces
Broadcast different ________________________ of _________________
Running for elective office is ______________________.
Rising campaign costs….
Require candidates to conduct ___________________-_________________ activities
_______________________ opportunities to run for office
Gives an advantage to ______________________ individuals
Encourage the development of _______________________ _______________ __________________
Increase the influence of ________________________ ___________________ that are issue-oriented
Rising campaign costs have also led to effort to _______________ campaign finance laws.
There are now ________________________ on how much individuals may contribute to
candidates and campaigns.
Electoral College
The Electoral College is an ______________________ way of electing the president & vice-president.
The people in each state vote for a slate of ____________________ who then cast their electoral votes.
The candidate who gets a majority of the popular vote in a state gets ________ of that state’s electoral votes.
(The only exceptions are Maine and Nebraska.)
If no one has a majority, the election is decided by the ______________ of _______________________.
Then, each state’s electoral votes are added, and the candidate with the majority of votes wins. To be
elected, a candidate needs at least ______________ electoral votes of the total ____________ electoral votes.
A state’s electoral votes comes from its _______________________ _______________________, which is the
total number of ______________________ and _______________________ each state has.
Virginia has ___________________ electoral votes.
The ________________ - ______________- ___________ system leads candidates to target the states with
the largest ______________________________. However, small states’ electoral votes can be important in
close elections.
The requirements for a majority vote favors a _________-________________ system.
Order these from 1 to 10 to trace the journey from candidate to president.
____ Parties hold nominating conventions to select their nominees.
____ The president is sworn in.
____ States hold primary elections to choose presidential candidates for each party.
____ Election Day (general election)
____ Those running for president hit the campaign trail.
____ A candidate must be a native-born citizen and be at least 35 years old.
____The Electoral College meets to officially vote for president.
____ After four years, it’s time for the next presidential election.
____ The presidential nominees choose their running mates.
____The House of Representatives chooses the president.