Your Name

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8.1 Which demographic and occupational characteristics are associated with greater or lesser rates of political participation?    

8.2 Voter turnout in presidential election years tends to be:   (Choose 2)   

 around 50-55% of eligible voters

 lower in the South

 higher than turnout in other democracies

 about the same as mid-term election

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8.3 What are the most important factors voters seem to use in deciding which presidential candidate to support?      

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8.4 What are the most important factors voters seem to use in deciding which congressional candidate to support?    

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8.5 What are the psychological effects of voting?    

a sense of participation in government

gives legitimacy to government and its actions

channels political conflict into peaceful, predictable directions

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8.6 What is "soft money?" Why is it important?      

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8.7 How does the unit rule (winner-take-all rule) influence the actions of candidates and elected officials.      

8.8 Which of the following are most likely to succeed in present-day elections?      

incumbent gerrymandering partisan gerrymandering racial gerrymandering

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8.9 What are "open" and "closed" primaries? Which is found in your state?      

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8.10 Which of the following are ways in which presidential campaign financing compares with that of congressional candidates?      

In the general elections, presidential candidates are publicly financed while congressional elections are financed privately.

congressional candidates are more likely to rely on PAC contributions.

Soft money is more important to congressional elections because of the role of state-wide party organizations.

Incumbents have a tremendous advantage in both presidential and congressional fund raising?

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8.11 Why do incumbent members of the House of Representatives usually win when they run for reelection?     Zen.

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Questions or Comments? send e-mail to Dr. Werner at drblw@aol.com