Act 5 (The Political Process) Test Part 1 Practice Questions
Name_______________________________________________________ Block___________
NOTE – GET THIS CHECKED BY YOUR TEACHER BEFORE THE TEST!!!!
Use page 96 in Civics Notebook to answer the following questions:
1.
2.
What are the qualifications to register to vote in Virginia?

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________
Voter registration is closed ______ day before election.
Directions: Sort the statements below based on the reasons for voting versus not voting. Make sure to write the
statements out. Be careful – you cannot look up the reasons people vote in your notebook; only reasons people don’t vote.
“Every vote counts”
“I don’t care who wins the election (apathy)”
“I just forgot to vote”
“I didn’t register to vote”
“Participating in the government is important”
“I vote in every election because it is important”
3. Reasons people give for not voting:
 ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________
4. Reasons people give for voting:
 ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________
5. Circle the characteristics of the person that is MOST likely to vote:
Age- ------18 year old------------30 year old-----------53 year old-----------67 year old---
Income - ------$25,000------------$50,000--------------$75,000---------------100,000---
Education - ---No High School---High School Diploma----Some College---College Degree-----Doctorate---
Use page 96 in Civics Notebook to answer the following questions:
6.
Read the profiles of the voters below. Which voter is the MOST likely to vote?
a. Alice is an 18 year old college student. She
b. Matt is 30 years old. She graduated from high
is unemployed (does not have a job).
school and makes $50,000 running her own
clothing store.
Georgia doesn’t want to waste her time
voting!
Lauren believes strongly in participating in
government!
c. Chris is a 53 years old. He has a college
d. Emily is 67 years old. She has a doctorate as she
degree and makes $75,000 as a lawyer.
graduated from medical school. She makes
$100,000 each year!
Chris doesn’t care who wins the election!
Emily believes voting is important, that is why she
has voted in every election since she turned 18!
7. Circle the characteristics of the person that is LEAST likely to vote:
Age- ------18 year old------------30 year old-----------53 year old-----------67 year old---
Income - ------$25,000------------$50,000--------------$75,000---------------100,000---
Education - ---No High School---High School Diploma----Some College--College Degree------Doctorate---
8.
Read the profiles of the voters below. Which voter is the LEAST likely to vote?
a. Alice a is a 18 year old college student. She
is unemployed (does not have a job).
b. Matt is 30 years old. She graduated from high
school and makes $50,000 running her own
clothing store.
Georgia doesn’t want to waste her time
voting!
Lauren believes strongly in participating in
government!
d. Emily is 67 years old. She has a doctorate as she
graduated from medical school. She makes
$100,000 each year!
c. Chris is a 53 years old. He has a college
degree and makes $75,000 as a lawyer.
Chris doesn’t care who wins the election!
Emily believes voting is important, that is why she
has voted in every election since she turned 18!
9.
Based on the graph below, what type of election most likely occurred in 2000?
Number of Voters (in millions)
1998 Election
Number of Voters (in
millions)
2000 Election
0
a. Presidential Election
b. State Election
c. Local Election
1
2
3
4
d. Primary Election
Use Page 93-94, and 98 notes to answer the following questions:
10. What does conservative mean? __________________________________________________________
11. What does liberal mean? _______________________________________________________________
12. What does moderate mean? _____________________________________________________________
13. What is the political center? _____________________________________________________________
14. What is a platform? ___________________________________________________________________
15. The Gubernatorial campaign of Bob McDonnell states that he wants to change public policy. He would
most likely be called a ____________________________________.
16. During the Election of 1992, George H. W. Bush campaigned to keep public policy the same. He would
most likely be called a ____________________________________.
17. In Presidential elections, major political parties usually appeal to the most citizens by ______________
___________________________________________________________________________________.
18. When Terry McAuliffe ran for Governor of Virginia, he said education is the most important thing we
can do to build a strong Virginia and in order to improve education we must reform the SOL’s. A
candidates’ beliefs or viewpoints are called ________________________________________.
19. Political parties only differ in their _______________________________________________.
20. What other platform issue belongs on the table below?
Republican Party Platform
Less taxes
__________________________________________________
Less government services
21. What other platform issue belongs on the table below?
Democratic Party Platform
More taxes
More government regulation
__________________________________________________
Use Page 98 notes to answer the following questions
22. True or False. Major political parties have liberal voters.
23. True or False. Major political parties have conservative voters.
24. True or False. Major political parties want to influence public policy by winning elections.
25. True or False. Major political parties revolve around a political personality.
Third Parties
Typically revolve around a political ______________________
Focus on __________________issue
Usually _______________ win elections
26. Fill in the chart below with the correct information about third parties.
27. Based on the table below, which candidate is most likely Theodore Roosevelt from the Bull Moose
Party? Why?
Percentage of Votes
Candidate 3
3%
Candidate 1
51.3%
Candidate 2
45.7%
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
28. In 1948, the Dixiecrats formed to keep the military segregated. How did this third party differ from the
two major political parties? _____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________.
Use Page 100 notes to answer the following questions:
29. On the table below, give the table a title. Hint: On your notes page, what is at the center of all those
actions?
Title: _____________________________
*Monitoring actions of officeholders
*Educating the electorate
*Helping candidate win
*Nominating and recruiting candidates
Use Page 70 notes to
answer the following questions:
30. Explain what each of the following phrases means:
a. Monitor actions of officeholders means
_______________________________________________
b. Educating the electorate means
______________________________________________________
c. Nominate and recruit candidates means
________________________________________________
d. Helping candidates win means
______________________________________________________
31. T-shirts that said “Ken Cuccinelli for Governor” on the front were paid for by the Republican Party.
Which function from the table above is being performed when the Republicans pay for candidate’s t shirts?
___________________________________________________________________________
32. The Republican Party and Democratic Party both made websites during the 2012 Presidential Election to
support their candidate. On these websites, the political parties told potential voters about their platform.
On these websites, the political parties were performing which function from the table above:
___________________________________________________________________________
33. The following headline shows what function of political parties from the table above?
The Republican Party Accuses President Obama of Obamacare Website Glitches
___________________________________________________________________________
34. The following headline shows what function of political parties from the table above?
Top Picks Announced by Both Political Parties for Governor
___________________________________________________________________________
35. The following headline shows what function of political parties from the table above?
Democratic Party Raises Money for Terry McAuliffe’s Campaign
___________________________________________________________________________
Use Page 100 notes to answer the following questions:
36. The following headline shows what function of political parties from the table above?
The Republican Party Explains Plan to Decrease the Deficit
___________________________________________________________________________
37. Which of the headlines listed below shows a political party nominating and recruiting a candidate?
a. The Republican Party Accuses President Obama of Obamacare Website Glitches
b. Top Pick Announced by Democratic Party for Governor
c. Democratic Party Raises Money for Terry McAuliffe’s Campaign
d. The Republican Party Explains Plan to Decrease the Deficit
Use Page 102 notes to answer the following questions:
38. What is the best title for the table below? (Hint: Look at the title of your notes page)
Title: _______________?______________
*Separating fact from opinion
Detecting bias
Evaluating sources
Identifying propaganda
a.
b.
c.
d.
How to Select a PAC to Raise Funds
How to Increase Voter Turnout in an Election
How to Evaluate Campaign Materials to make Informed Decisions
How to Register to Vote in an Election in Virginia
39. What is a fact? _____________________________________________________________________
40. What is an opinion? _________________________________________________________________
41. What is bias? ______________________________________________________________________
42. What is propaganda? ________________________________________________________________