Download Unit 3 Free Response - Okemos Public Schools

Unit 3 Free Response
1. Political candidates are always attempting to profile the American constituent in an attempt to garner votes
for the next campaign.
a. Identify and explain two characteristics of a likely voter in a national election.
b. Identify and explain two characteristics of a likely non-voter in a national election.
c. In the age of dealignment/increased independence, identify and explain what demographic
characteristic would be most predictive for voters indentifying themselves as independent and splitting
their tickets.
d. Considering research on turnout rates and demographic voting patterns, describe a profile of a voter
who would be least likely to vote for a democratic candidate.
2. The United States holds some of the longest and most expensive political campaigns in the world. To finance
their campaigns, candidates rely heavily on contributions from the following:
 PACs
 Soft Money
 Matching Funds
 Individual contributions
 “Bundled” money
a. Define 4 of the above sources of campaign contributions
b. Choose 2 of these sources and describe the positive impact that each has on political campaigns
c. Choose two of these sources and describe the negative impact that each has on political campaigns
3. In the United States political system, there are several linkage institutions that can connect citizens to
government. Elections constitute one such institution. Because of low voter turnout election represent an
imperfect method of linking citizens to their government. Even when there is low voter turnout, however, other
linkage institutions can connect citizens to government.
(a) Describe how each of the following is related to the likelihood of voting:
 Age
 Education
(b) Identify one current government electoral requirement that decreases voter turnout. Explain how it
decreases voter turnout.
(c) Identify one linkage institution other than elections and explain two ways it connects citizens to
government.
4. Minor parties (third parties) have been a common feature of the United States politics.
(a) Describe the point of view expressed about minor parties in the political cartoon above.
(b) Identify and explain how two rules of the United States electoral system act as obstacles to minorparty candidates winning elections.
(c) Minor parties make important contributions to the United States political system in spite of the
institutional obstacles to their candidates’ success. Describe two of these contributions.
5. The power of the political party has declined over the past fifty years.
a. Describe each of the terms below:
Dealignment
Political machine
National party conventions
Candidate centered campaigns
b. Choose three of the terms above and explain how they have contributed to the decline of political
parties since 1960.
6. The Electoral College has come under criticism on many occasions, most recently in the 2000 presidential
election.
a. Explain how the president is elected in the United States; include the following
 Electoral vote allocation among the states
 Process of winning electoral votes
 Requirements for victory in states and office of Presidency
 Voting of the Electoral College
 Official tabulation
b. Describe 2 ways in which the Electoral College system can result in electing a president who did not
win a plurality of the popular vote.
c. Identify 2 effects the set up of the electoral college has on campaign strategy in presidential
elections.