Political Science Chapter on Incumbency and Reapportionment
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Questions and Answers

What principle was established by the landmark case Carr (1962)?

  • One person, one vote (correct)
  • Redistricting is unjustifiable
  • Equal representation for all citizens
  • Racial segregation in voting

    • Shaw v. Reno (1993) ruled that redistricting based on race must meet strict scrutiny standards under the Equal Protection Clause.

    True (A)

    What term refers to Congress monitoring and supervising federal agencies to ensure compliance with laws?

    Oversight

    The __________ allows Senators to extend debate on a bill to delay or block its passage.

    <p>filibuster</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following terms with their definitions:

    <p>Hearing = Gathering information from officials Credit Claiming = Highlighting achievements to constituents Casework = Helping constituents with personal government issues Pork Barrel Legislation = Funding local projects for political gain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which committee in the House of Representatives is responsible for setting the terms of debate on bills?

    <p>Rules Committee (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Oversight can be performed through either funding decisions or by amending laws.

    <p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of constituency service in Congress?

    <p>Assisting constituents in navigating government bureaucracy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Redistricting issues are considered __________able by the courts according to Carr (1962).

    <p>justiciable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which lawmaking tactic requires a supermajority to overcome?

    <p>Filibuster (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant factor contributing to the incumbency advantage?

    <p>Experience in governance (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Reapportionment occurs every five years.

    <p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process involves the redrawing of district boundaries to reflect population changes?

    <p>Redistricting</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The manipulation of district boundaries to favor a particular political party is known as ______.

    <p>gerrymandering</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the legislative powers with the correct chamber of Congress:

    <p>Initiate Revenue Bills = House of Representatives Trial of Impeachment = Senate Advice and Consent = Senate Impeachment = House of Representatives</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main effect of incumbency advantage on elections?

    <p>High reelection rates for incumbents (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Senate cannot conduct trials for officials that the House impeaches.

    <p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does redistricting influence political power among states?

    <p>It reallocates representatives based on population changes, affecting political representation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Following the census, states may ______ or ______ seats in the House of Representatives based on population changes.

    Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the main causes of incumbency advantage?

    <p>Name recognition (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does gerrymandering refer to?

    <p>The manipulation of district boundaries to favor a particular political party or group.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The House of Representatives has the exclusive right to __________ federal officials.

    <p>impeach</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary impact of incumbency advantage on elections?

    <p>Higher reelection rates (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Redistricting occurs every five years.

    <p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process of reallocating representatives based on the census called?

    <p>Reapportionment</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Following the census, states may gain or __________ seats in the House of Representatives.

    <p>lose</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which power is unique to the Senate?

    <p>Conduct trials for impeached officials (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Incumbency Advantage

    • Causes:
      • Name recognition: Incumbents are known due to media exposure and prior service.
      • Access to resources: Access to campaign funds, networks, and governmental resources (staff, office) is unavailable to challengers.
      • Constituent services: Incumbents provide services fostering loyalty and votes.
      • Experience: Incumbents' experience in governance and campaigning leads to effective strategies.
    • Impact: High reelection rates; significant winning margins; stifled competition; reduced voter choice.

    Reapportionment

    • Process of reallocating House seats based on the decennial census.
    • Seats are added or removed from states based on population changes.
    • Shifts in political power result, with growing states gaining representation, and declining states losing it.

    Bicameralism - Unique Powers

    • House of Representatives:
      • Origination of revenue bills: All revenue-related bills must originate in the House.
      • Impeachment power: Solely responsible for impeaching federal officials.
    • Senate:
      • Advice and consent: Confirms presidential appointments (judges, cabinet) and ratifies treaties.
      • Trial of impeachment: Conducts trials for impeached officials.

    Redistricting/Gerrymandering

    • Redistricting: Redrawing district boundaries to reflect population changes every 10 years after the census.
    • Gerrymandering: Manipulation of district boundaries to favor a political party or group. Results in irregular shapes, diluting opposing votes, entrenching power, skewing representation, and undermining electoral competition.

    Supreme Court Opinions on Redistricting

    • Baker v. Carr (1962): Established "one person, one vote"; redistricting issues are justiciable, requiring roughly equal populations in state legislative districts.
    • Shaw v. Reno (1993): Addressed racial gerrymandering; ruled that redistricting plans based solely on race must meet strict scrutiny, emphasizing that gerrymandered districts can violate voter rights.

    Oversight

    • Process of monitoring and supervising federal agencies, programs, and the executive branch to ensure compliance with laws and effective implementation.
    • Methods: Hearings and investigations, reports and accountability, and legislative tools like funding decisions or amending laws.

    The Lawmaking Process

    • House of Representatives - Rules Committee: Sets terms for debate on bills (duration, amendments allowed).
    • Senate - Filibuster: Procedural tactic to delay or block bill passage; requires a supermajority (typically 60 votes) for cloture to overcome.

    Constituency Service/Credit Claiming

    • Constituency Service: Providing assistance to constituents in navigating government bureaucracy, building connections, and showing responsiveness.
    • Credit Claiming:
      • Casework: Helping constituents with personal governmental service issues, like social security.
      • Pork Barrel Legislation: Provisions within bills funding local projects, highlighting tangible benefits for legislators.

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    Description

    Explore the nuances of incumbency advantage, reapportionment, and bicameralism in this informative quiz. Learn about the causes and impacts of incumbency, the process of reallocating House seats, and the unique powers held by the House of Representatives. Test your knowledge on these key political concepts.

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