PLS 136 Final Exam State/Local Politics
Activist Judge - correct answer ✔✔A judge who is said to act as an independent policymaker by
creatively interpreting a constitution or statute
Annexation - correct answer ✔✔The legal incorporation of one jurisdiction or territory into another
Appeal - correct answer ✔✔A request to have a lower court's decision in a case reviewed by a higher
court.
Apportionment - correct answer ✔✔The allotting of districts according to population shifts. The number
of congressional districts that a state has may be reapportioned every 10 years, following the national
census.
At-Large Election - correct answer ✔✔Elections in which city or county voters vote for council or
commission members from any part of the jurisdiction.
Bench Trial - correct answer ✔✔A trial in which no jury is present and the judge decides the facts as well
as the law.
Bully Pulpit - correct answer ✔✔The platform from which a high-profile public official, such as governor
or president, commands considerable public and media attention by virtue of holding office.
Bureaucracy - correct answer ✔✔Public agencies and the programs and services they implement and
manage.
Casework - correct answer ✔✔The work undertaken by legislators and their staffs in response to
requests for help from constituents
Caucus - correct answer ✔✔All the members of a party-Republican or Democrat-within a legislative
chamber; also refers to meetings of members of a political party in a chamber.
, Charter - correct answer ✔✔A document that outlines the powers, organization, and responsibilities of a
local government.
Cities - correct answer ✔✔Incorporated political jurisdictions formed to provide self-governance to
particular localities.
Citizen Legislature - correct answer ✔✔a legislative chamber made up primarily of citizens who have a
full-time occupation besides being a legislator
City Commission System - correct answer ✔✔A form of municipal governance in which executive,
legislative, and administrative powers are vested in elected city commissioners.
City Council - correct answer ✔✔A municipality's legislature
City Manager - correct answer ✔✔An official appointed to be the chief administrator of a municipality
Civil Case - correct answer ✔✔Legal cases that involve disputes between private parties.
Collective Bargaining - correct answer ✔✔A process in which representatives of a labor union and an
employer work to reach an agreement about wages and working conditions.
Commission-Administrator System - correct answer ✔✔A form of county governance in which executive
and legislative powers reside with an elected commission, which hires a professional executive to
manage the day-to-day operations of government.
Constituents - correct answer ✔✔the people politicians have been elected to represent
Constitutional Law - correct answer ✔✔law that involves the interpretation and application of the U.S.
Constitution and state constitutions
Activist Judge - correct answer ✔✔A judge who is said to act as an independent policymaker by
creatively interpreting a constitution or statute
Annexation - correct answer ✔✔The legal incorporation of one jurisdiction or territory into another
Appeal - correct answer ✔✔A request to have a lower court's decision in a case reviewed by a higher
court.
Apportionment - correct answer ✔✔The allotting of districts according to population shifts. The number
of congressional districts that a state has may be reapportioned every 10 years, following the national
census.
At-Large Election - correct answer ✔✔Elections in which city or county voters vote for council or
commission members from any part of the jurisdiction.
Bench Trial - correct answer ✔✔A trial in which no jury is present and the judge decides the facts as well
as the law.
Bully Pulpit - correct answer ✔✔The platform from which a high-profile public official, such as governor
or president, commands considerable public and media attention by virtue of holding office.
Bureaucracy - correct answer ✔✔Public agencies and the programs and services they implement and
manage.
Casework - correct answer ✔✔The work undertaken by legislators and their staffs in response to
requests for help from constituents
Caucus - correct answer ✔✔All the members of a party-Republican or Democrat-within a legislative
chamber; also refers to meetings of members of a political party in a chamber.
, Charter - correct answer ✔✔A document that outlines the powers, organization, and responsibilities of a
local government.
Cities - correct answer ✔✔Incorporated political jurisdictions formed to provide self-governance to
particular localities.
Citizen Legislature - correct answer ✔✔a legislative chamber made up primarily of citizens who have a
full-time occupation besides being a legislator
City Commission System - correct answer ✔✔A form of municipal governance in which executive,
legislative, and administrative powers are vested in elected city commissioners.
City Council - correct answer ✔✔A municipality's legislature
City Manager - correct answer ✔✔An official appointed to be the chief administrator of a municipality
Civil Case - correct answer ✔✔Legal cases that involve disputes between private parties.
Collective Bargaining - correct answer ✔✔A process in which representatives of a labor union and an
employer work to reach an agreement about wages and working conditions.
Commission-Administrator System - correct answer ✔✔A form of county governance in which executive
and legislative powers reside with an elected commission, which hires a professional executive to
manage the day-to-day operations of government.
Constituents - correct answer ✔✔the people politicians have been elected to represent
Constitutional Law - correct answer ✔✔law that involves the interpretation and application of the U.S.
Constitution and state constitutions
