PSCI 100 EXAM 2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
✔✔What month are state primary elections held? - ✔✔June
✔✔Know the requirements to be a registered voter in California. - ✔✔-18+
-U.S. citizen
-resident of California
-can't vote if you are a criminal
-can't vote if mentally incompatent
✔✔Know how far in advance one must register to vote in California before an election. -
✔✔15 days
✔✔How many total seats are there in the California legislature? - ✔✔120 seats
✔✔What takes place in California after each national census? - ✔✔redistricting
✔✔What is the most powerful position in the California State Senate? - ✔✔president pro
tempore
✔✔Know what party (majority or minority) holds the chairs of standing committees in the
California State Legislature. - ✔✔both parties
✔✔A comparison of the voting records of Democratic and Republican state legislators
shows that? - ✔✔-Democrats are more liberal
-Republicans are more conservative
✔✔What power does the governor have in using the line item veto? - ✔✔to reject
individual provisions of a bill
can decrease but not increase amount
✔✔Know the duties of the Lt. Governor of California. - ✔✔-break tied vote
-sits on board of regions for UC system
-over sees the senate
✔✔Know the duties of the Attorney General's office. - ✔✔-represents California
-sits on the Judicial of Appointments
-over sees county district attorneys
✔✔What office is responsible for investing the funds from the California State
Employee's pension fund? - ✔✔state treasure because of retirement
✔✔What are trial courts called in the California court system? - ✔✔Superior Courts
, ✔✔Know how a vacancy is filled in a trial court (judge). - ✔✔governor appoints a judge
✔✔Who must approve the appointment of an appellate court or supreme court justice? -
✔✔Commission on Judicial Appointments
✔✔What happens if the voters refuse to confirm or reelect a supreme court, appellate
court, or district court justice? - ✔✔governor appoints a judge
✔✔What Commission can remove state judges for cause? - ✔✔Commission on Judicial
Performance
✔✔How do economic liberals and conservatives differ on their view of taxes? -
✔✔Liberals: want higher taxes fro the wealthy and a larger government
Conservatives: want lower taxes and a smaller government with limited power
✔✔Where does state and local government(s) get the majority of their tax revenue? -
✔✔-income tax
-sales
✔✔What type of tax did Proposition 13 (1978) reduce? - ✔✔property tax (on homes,
businesses, and farms by 57%)
✔✔Know who is guaranteed over forty percent of expenditures from the state's general
fund. - ✔✔K-12 education
✔✔Know what sales tax revenue from gasoline is earmarked for. - ✔✔transportation
(highways, roads, bridges, etc.)
✔✔Know the historical background of the Bill of Rights. - ✔✔-first 10 amendments
-ratified in 1791
-guarantees individual rights
✔✔What political group strongly supported the passage of the Bill of Rights? - ✔✔anti-
federalists
✔✔Know the purpose of the habeas corpus. - ✔✔the right to be before a judge or in
court and to know your charges if arrested
✔✔Know why the Bill of Rights was written. - ✔✔for greater constitutional protection for
individual liberties
✔✔What liberties are protected by the Bill of Rights? - ✔✔-freedom of religion
GRADED A+
✔✔What month are state primary elections held? - ✔✔June
✔✔Know the requirements to be a registered voter in California. - ✔✔-18+
-U.S. citizen
-resident of California
-can't vote if you are a criminal
-can't vote if mentally incompatent
✔✔Know how far in advance one must register to vote in California before an election. -
✔✔15 days
✔✔How many total seats are there in the California legislature? - ✔✔120 seats
✔✔What takes place in California after each national census? - ✔✔redistricting
✔✔What is the most powerful position in the California State Senate? - ✔✔president pro
tempore
✔✔Know what party (majority or minority) holds the chairs of standing committees in the
California State Legislature. - ✔✔both parties
✔✔A comparison of the voting records of Democratic and Republican state legislators
shows that? - ✔✔-Democrats are more liberal
-Republicans are more conservative
✔✔What power does the governor have in using the line item veto? - ✔✔to reject
individual provisions of a bill
can decrease but not increase amount
✔✔Know the duties of the Lt. Governor of California. - ✔✔-break tied vote
-sits on board of regions for UC system
-over sees the senate
✔✔Know the duties of the Attorney General's office. - ✔✔-represents California
-sits on the Judicial of Appointments
-over sees county district attorneys
✔✔What office is responsible for investing the funds from the California State
Employee's pension fund? - ✔✔state treasure because of retirement
✔✔What are trial courts called in the California court system? - ✔✔Superior Courts
, ✔✔Know how a vacancy is filled in a trial court (judge). - ✔✔governor appoints a judge
✔✔Who must approve the appointment of an appellate court or supreme court justice? -
✔✔Commission on Judicial Appointments
✔✔What happens if the voters refuse to confirm or reelect a supreme court, appellate
court, or district court justice? - ✔✔governor appoints a judge
✔✔What Commission can remove state judges for cause? - ✔✔Commission on Judicial
Performance
✔✔How do economic liberals and conservatives differ on their view of taxes? -
✔✔Liberals: want higher taxes fro the wealthy and a larger government
Conservatives: want lower taxes and a smaller government with limited power
✔✔Where does state and local government(s) get the majority of their tax revenue? -
✔✔-income tax
-sales
✔✔What type of tax did Proposition 13 (1978) reduce? - ✔✔property tax (on homes,
businesses, and farms by 57%)
✔✔Know who is guaranteed over forty percent of expenditures from the state's general
fund. - ✔✔K-12 education
✔✔Know what sales tax revenue from gasoline is earmarked for. - ✔✔transportation
(highways, roads, bridges, etc.)
✔✔Know the historical background of the Bill of Rights. - ✔✔-first 10 amendments
-ratified in 1791
-guarantees individual rights
✔✔What political group strongly supported the passage of the Bill of Rights? - ✔✔anti-
federalists
✔✔Know the purpose of the habeas corpus. - ✔✔the right to be before a judge or in
court and to know your charges if arrested
✔✔Know why the Bill of Rights was written. - ✔✔for greater constitutional protection for
individual liberties
✔✔What liberties are protected by the Bill of Rights? - ✔✔-freedom of religion
