Act 5 (The Political Process) Test Part 1 Practice Questions
Name_______KEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!________ Block___KEY!!!!!!!__
Voter Registration – Use page 96 in Civics Notebook
1.
What are the qualifications to register to vote in Virginia?
 _At least 18 years old__
 _A resident (where you live) of Virginia_
 _A citizen of the United States___
2.
Voter registration is closed __22__ day before election.
Factors that Influence Voter Turnout – Use page 96 in Civics Notebook
Directions: Sort the statements below based on the reasons for voting versus not voting. Make sure to write the statements out.
“Every vote counts”
“I don’t care who wins the election (apathy)”
“I just forgot to vote”
“Participating in the government is important”
“I didn’t register to vote”
“I vote in every election because it is important”
3.



Reasons people give for not voting:
________“I don’t care who wins the election (apathy)”_____
__________“I just forgot to vote”______________________
______“I didn’t register to vote”________
4.



Reasons people give for voting:
___“Every vote counts”___
___”Participating in the government is important”___
___”I vote in every election because it is important”__
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--
6. Read the profiles of the voters below. Which voter is the MOST likely to vote?
a. Alice is a 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!
Factors that Influence Voter Turnout – Use page 96 in Civics Notebook
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?
b. Mattp is 30 years old. She graduated from high
school and makes $50,000 running her own
clothing store.
a. Alice is a 18 year old college student. She
is unemployed (does not have a job).
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
1
2
3
4
a. Presidential Election
b. State Election
c. Local Election
d. Primary Election
Use Page 93-94 and 98 notes to answer the following questions:
10. What does conservative mean? a person who favors keeping things the same
11. What does liberal mean? a person who favors change
12. What does moderate mean? in the middle
13. What is the political center? the group of voters with moderate views
14. What is a platform? A candidate’s or party’s beliefs or viewpoints
15. The Gubernatorial campaign of Bob McDonnell states that he wants to change public policy. He would
most likely be called a liberal
16. During the Election of 1992, George H. W. Bush campaigned to keep public policy the same. He would
most likely be called a conservative
17. In Presidential elections, major political parties usually appeal to the most citizens by
Reflecting both liberal and conservative views
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 the platform
19. Political parties only differ in their platforms
20. What other platform issue belongs on the table below?
Republican Party Platform
Less taxes
Less government regulation/less government
Less government services
21. What other platform issue belongs on the table below?
Democratic Party Platform
More taxes
More government regulation
More government services
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.
26. Fill in the chart below with the correct information about third parties.
Third Parties
Typically revolve around a political personality
Focus on one issue
Usually do not win elections
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%
Candidate 3 because the Bull Moose Party was a third party and third parties
do not win elections and have the least amount of voters.
28. In 1948, the Dixiecrats formed to keep the military segregated. How did this third party differ from the
two major political parties?
It focused on one issue
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: ___Functions of Political Parties____
*Monitoring actions of officeholders
*Educating the electorate
*Helping candidate win
*Nominating and recruiting candidates
30. Explain what each of the following phrases means:
a. Monitor actions of officeholders means ____watch and tell about what people in government
do_
b. Educating the electorate means ____explain ideas and beliefs to voters___
c. Nominate and recruit candidates means ___find and choose candidates to run in election_____
d. Helping candidates win means ______giving candidates support, especially money___
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 tshirts?
______________________Helping Candidates Win_____________________
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:
_________________Educate the electorate________________
33. The following headline shows what function of political parties from the table above?
The Republican Party Accuses President Obama of Obamacare Website Glitches
___________________Monitor the Actions of Officeholders____________
34. The following headline shows what function of political parties from the table above?
Top Picks Announced by Both Political Parties for Governor
_______________Nominate and recruit candidates______________
35. The following headline shows what function of political parties from the table above?
Democratic Party Raises Money for Terry McAuliffe’s Campaign
_______________________Help candidates win__________
36. The following headline shows what function of political parties from the table above?
The Republican Party Explains Plan to Decrease the Deficit
_________________Educate the electorate____________
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? _____a statement that can be proven___
40. What is an opinion? __a person’s belief that cannot be proven, often begins with “I think” or “I
belief”____
41. What is bias? ______When something or someone is one-sided or leans a certain way_______
42. What is propaganda? ____message that uses emotion or feeling to convince_______