POSC 225 CORRECT EXAMS QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔Logic of Elections - ✔✔-american democracy is representative democracy
✔✔Madison emphasized main difference btwn direct democracy and republic - ✔✔-size
made direct impossible
-representative would require agents
✔✔Danger of authority raises possibility of agent loss - ✔✔-rep serving themselves
rather than constituents
✔✔Solution - ✔✔-regular, free competitive elections
-citizens decide who represent them
-for elected officials, future election provides incentive to be responsive agents
✔✔The right to vote - ✔✔-universal opportunity to vote, but not universal participation
✔✔1- early practices - ✔✔-limited the franchise
-property requirements
✔✔2- universal suffrage for white men - ✔✔-states lifted property requirements
-1840s Jacksonian Democracy-> greater democracy for the common man
✔✔3- suffrage for women - ✔✔-19th amendment in 1920
✔✔4- suffrage for blacks - ✔✔-15th amendment 1870
-not universal until Voting Rights Act in 1965
✔✔5- suffrage for young american - ✔✔-26th amendment 1971
-age of 18
-around time of Vietnam War
, ✔✔Is voting rational? - ✔✔-voting is the essence of democracy
-yet many do not vote
-voting has both individual and collective benefits
✔✔Why do many not vote? - ✔✔-costs vs. benefits
-for some, voting is irrationals bc the costs outweigh the benefits
✔✔Voter turnout varies widely over time - ✔✔-sharp decline btwn 1960-1980
-since 1968, average of only 58% of eligible electorate voted in Pres elections
-better than in 70s/80s
-turnout decreased in 04-08
✔✔Factors that influence turnout - ✔✔-age, education, race
✔✔Community roots are also a factor bc - ✔✔-if you're more est. you're more likely to
vote
-connections
-sense that your vote matters
✔✔Factors cont'd - ✔✔-internal and external efficacy
-inc. in efficacy inc. in voter turnout
-strength of partisanship
✔✔Living in politically competitive areas also is a factor bc - ✔✔-swing state
-competitive district
-areas with lower barriers to register and voting
-Oregon, Washington, and Colorado vote by mail
✔✔Not voting factors - ✔✔-gender, levels of cynicism, trust in gov't
✔✔Institutional factors affect turnout - ✔✔-variations in registration requirements (costly
and long)
✔✔There is still a decline when voter registration laws have eased and edu attainment
increased bc - ✔✔-other factors have had the opposite effect
-lowering age of voting to 18
-lessening community roots and increasing mobility
✔✔Major reason for decline - ✔✔-decline in efforts of parties and campaigns to mobilize
voters
-sine 04 campaigns embracing data-driven direct voter count (Ted Cruz 2016)
✔✔Turnout is - ✔✔-percent of eligible voters
ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔Logic of Elections - ✔✔-american democracy is representative democracy
✔✔Madison emphasized main difference btwn direct democracy and republic - ✔✔-size
made direct impossible
-representative would require agents
✔✔Danger of authority raises possibility of agent loss - ✔✔-rep serving themselves
rather than constituents
✔✔Solution - ✔✔-regular, free competitive elections
-citizens decide who represent them
-for elected officials, future election provides incentive to be responsive agents
✔✔The right to vote - ✔✔-universal opportunity to vote, but not universal participation
✔✔1- early practices - ✔✔-limited the franchise
-property requirements
✔✔2- universal suffrage for white men - ✔✔-states lifted property requirements
-1840s Jacksonian Democracy-> greater democracy for the common man
✔✔3- suffrage for women - ✔✔-19th amendment in 1920
✔✔4- suffrage for blacks - ✔✔-15th amendment 1870
-not universal until Voting Rights Act in 1965
✔✔5- suffrage for young american - ✔✔-26th amendment 1971
-age of 18
-around time of Vietnam War
, ✔✔Is voting rational? - ✔✔-voting is the essence of democracy
-yet many do not vote
-voting has both individual and collective benefits
✔✔Why do many not vote? - ✔✔-costs vs. benefits
-for some, voting is irrationals bc the costs outweigh the benefits
✔✔Voter turnout varies widely over time - ✔✔-sharp decline btwn 1960-1980
-since 1968, average of only 58% of eligible electorate voted in Pres elections
-better than in 70s/80s
-turnout decreased in 04-08
✔✔Factors that influence turnout - ✔✔-age, education, race
✔✔Community roots are also a factor bc - ✔✔-if you're more est. you're more likely to
vote
-connections
-sense that your vote matters
✔✔Factors cont'd - ✔✔-internal and external efficacy
-inc. in efficacy inc. in voter turnout
-strength of partisanship
✔✔Living in politically competitive areas also is a factor bc - ✔✔-swing state
-competitive district
-areas with lower barriers to register and voting
-Oregon, Washington, and Colorado vote by mail
✔✔Not voting factors - ✔✔-gender, levels of cynicism, trust in gov't
✔✔Institutional factors affect turnout - ✔✔-variations in registration requirements (costly
and long)
✔✔There is still a decline when voter registration laws have eased and edu attainment
increased bc - ✔✔-other factors have had the opposite effect
-lowering age of voting to 18
-lessening community roots and increasing mobility
✔✔Major reason for decline - ✔✔-decline in efforts of parties and campaigns to mobilize
voters
-sine 04 campaigns embracing data-driven direct voter count (Ted Cruz 2016)
✔✔Turnout is - ✔✔-percent of eligible voters
