POLS 207 State and Local Government Review Sheet PDF

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, and legi...

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, and legislatures (Chapters 5–7) 1) How do most people participate in the political system? ▪ Voting, running for office, participating in marches or demonstrations, giving money or time to efforts, attending rallies or events, writing letters or emails, wearing a button 2) What is a rational voter? ▪ One who will vote only if the personal benefits outweigh the costs 3) Know who votes and who does not ▪ Who will vote: o Older, employed, high income, white ▪ Who will not vote: o Young, unemployed, uneducated, low income, Hispanic/black race, mentally incompetent 4) Why do some states have higher voter turnout? ▪ Swing states – receive more candidate visits/ads ▪ Media predictions – discourages people to vote ▪ Differences in registration procedures and experience (time, place, equipment, ballots) ▪ Federally mandated voter registration law (“motor voter”) ▪ Socioeconomic factors – population with higher education & income is more likely to vote 5) How could voter turnout be increased? ▪ Easier to vote before election day ▪ Conduct entire election by mail ▪ Better procedure for restoring voting rights of felons ▪ Better voter education for young people 6) Who or what determines voter qualifications? ▪ The state does ▪ Voter eligibility and verification (IDs), voting location, voting ease, online Internet registration, ballot requests, and voting 7) Know the amendments to the U.S. Constitution that concern voting ▪ 24th Amendment – banned the poll tax ▪ 19th Amendment – allowed women to vote 8) Know the responsible party model ▪ Clear policy alternatives AND holds their elected officials responsible for enacting policies in office ▪ Educate people about issues and simplify choices ▪ Organize and direct their candidates to win elections 9) Know the different types of primaries ▪ Closed Primary - Must register with a party & to vote ▪ Open Primary - Just be registered to vote, declare on election day what parties primary you want to vote  ▪ Run-off Primary – a second primary to determine a winner if a tie happens 10) Know the different types of elections (i.e., general, primary, initiative, recall, etc.) ▪ General Election – regular election of candidates for office ▪ Primary Election – where the candidates are chosen to run (picking the starting 11 in soccer) ▪ Initiative election – a process that allows citizens to bypass their state legislature to place laws and amendments on the ballot ▪ Recall Election (also known as recall referendum or representative recall) – voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before the end of the term 11) What do the national party committees do? ▪ Plan the nominating convention for the President and spend heavily to support their party’s nominee. ▪ Keep the party operative in between elections 12) When is negative campaigning successful? ▪ When they focus on issues instead of personal attack 13) Know the following Supreme Court cases: a. Baker v. Carr – federal courts can review state redistricting plans if they violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment (can’t draw districts in a way that unfairly dilutes voting power) b. Reynolds v Sims – ruled that in the election of any chamber of a state legislature, the electoral districts must be roughly equal in population 14) Know the functions of legislatures ▪ Enacting laws ▪ Considering constitutional amendments ▪ Gubernatorial appointments and state courts ▪ Approving budgets, serving constituents, and overseeing state agencies 15) Why do incumbents win? ▪ Visibility (people know them, they don’t have to campaign as much) ▪ Resources from office ▪ Money: interests groups love incumbents bc they can usually get more done 16) What is apportionment? ▪ Dividing the population into districts for the purpose of election and representation 17) What is gerrymandering? ▪ Drawing of district lines for political advantage 18) Know the different types of legislative sessions ▪ Annual legislative sessions: 140 days every 2 years ▪ Special sessions: legislative sessions that may be called by the governor to consider special topics 19) What do committees do? ▪ Major bill analysis ▪ Oversee implementation of laws ▪ Draft legislation 20) Who determines the membership of legislative committees? ▪ State legislature 21) What is pigeonholing? ▪ A bill is ignored, never reported out of a committee 22) Know the requirements for election to the Texas State Legislature  ▪ Usually upper middle class ▪ Most are college educated ▪ Average age is 56 ▪ Have personal wealth (recruited from affluent families) ▪ Lawyers: trained to deal with public policy ▪ Amateurs: most state legislatures are part-time bodies 23) How are legislative leadership chosen? ▪ By the House members, not by voters 24) How long is the legislative session in Texas? ▪ 140 days 25) Know the principle-agent model discussed in class ▪ The legislature (principal) proposes a law, and the agent (executive) implements the laws, although sometimes the agent doesn’t do what the principal wants