Question 1

The use of mail-in ballots may actually cause voter participation to fall because:

Accepted Answer

A)  the reduction in the benefit of being seen voting is larger than the reduction in the opportunity cost of voting.
B)  the reduction in the opportunity cost of voting is larger than the reduction in the benefit of being seen voting.
C)  mail-in ballots are more confusing than in-person ballots.
D)  the costs of obtaining a mail-in ballot are larger than the benefit of voting.E) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 2

The Condorcet paradox is a situation in which the preferences of each individual member of a group are _______ and the collective preferences of the group are _______.

Accepted Answer

A)  not transitive; not transitive
B)  transitive; not transitive
C)  transitive; transitive
D)  not transitive; transitiveE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 3

When a smaller political group wishes to have influence in a government with pluralistic voting, it may:

Accepted Answer

A)  drop out of the race and consolidate with larger parties.
B)  stay in the races and hope to sway the vote away from the candidate the majority favors.
C)  drop out of the race and instead campaign to sway the vote away from the candidate the majority favors.
D)  stay in the political race in order to keep the issues it deems important in the public eye.E) A) and D)
F) B) and D)

Question 4

Despite the fact that most votes have virtually no impact on the outcome of an election, and knowing people incur opportunity costs to vote, we recognize that some people vote because they: feel pressure to fulfill their civic duty. altruistically decide to contribute to the democratic process by voting. gain utility from participating in a civic event.

Accepted Answer

A)  II only
B)  II and III only
C)  I and III only
D)  I, II, and IIIE) C) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 5

Which of the four criteria for an ideal voting system is demonstrated when everyone in a town prefers to spend the budget on improved public transportation systems instead of new public parks, and transportation spending wins the vote?

Accepted Answer

A)  No dictator
B)  Unanimity
C)  Transitivity
D)  Independence of irrelevant alternativesE) None of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 6

Bureaucratic capture:

Accepted Answer

A)  is a specific avenue through which corruption and rent-seeking can occur.
B)  occurs when government positions are filled with people who have close ties to the group they are supposed to regulate.
C)  is a source of bias or personal sympathy that interferes with efficiency.
D)  All of these are true.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 7

The table shown displays voters' preferences in an election.

If a pairwise majority vote is held, which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  The preferences of each member are transitive.
B)  The collective preferences of the group are not transitive.
C)  The outcome of the vote will change depending on the order of the vote.
D)  All of these statements are true.E) B) and C)
F) A) and D)

Question 8

Another name for plurality voting is:

Accepted Answer

A)  instant runoff voting.
B)  first-past-the-post voting.
C)  pairwise majority voting.
D)  approval voting.E) B) and D)
F) C) and D)

Question 9

Pairwise majority voting meets the _______ criterion for an ideal voting system, but fails the _______ criterion.

Accepted Answer

A)  unanimity; independence of irrelevant alternatives
B)  independence of irrelevant alternatives; unanimity
C)  transitivity; unanimity
D)  independence of irrelevant alternatives; transitivityE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 10

Arguably, the simplest voting system is:

Accepted Answer

A)  instant runoff voting.
B)  pairwise majority voting.
C)  first-past-the-post voting.
D)  approval voting.E) A) and C)
F) None of the above

Question 11

Which of the following is one of the conditions that must exist for the median-voter theorem to hold?

Accepted Answer

A)  There is a simple in-favor/not-in-favor position held by each candidate.
B)  Candidates win by majority vote.
C)  There must be a runoff election in the event of a tie between two or more candidates.
D)  Voters must vote individually for all policies.E) A) and B)
F) C) and D)

Question 12

When considering voting options, if option X beats Y, and Y beats Z, then transitivity says that:

Accepted Answer

A)  Z beats X.
B)  Y beats X.
C)  X beats Z.
D)  Z beats Y.E) B) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 13

Research demonstrates that elections can be swayed by politicians:

Accepted Answer

A)  shaking hands.
B)  eating food at a county fair.
C)  mudslinging.
D)  All of these can sway a vote.E) All of the above
F) B) and D)

Question 14

Which theorem tells us that no voting system is perfect?

Accepted Answer

A)  Arrow's impossibility theorem
B)  Median-voter theorem
C)  Condorcet paradox
D)  Bowman's problematic theoremE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 15

The table shown displays voters' preferences in an election.

Suppose a pairwise majority vote is held. If the first pair voted on is libraries and education, the overall winner would be _________ the overall winner if the first pair voted on was libraries and safety. This illustrates _______.

Accepted Answer

A)  the same as; Arrow's ideal voting system
B)  the same as; the Condorcet paradox
C)  different from; Arrow's ideal voting system
D)  different from; the Condorcet paradoxE) C) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 16

Political structure, or the process by which laws become enacted:

Accepted Answer

A)  has no effect on the policy created.
B)  is virtually the same everywhere.
C)  affects the outcome of policy.
D)  are usually designed to maximize efficiency.E) C) and D)
F) B) and D)

Question 17

Historically, controlling who was able to vote was an important tool:

Accepted Answer

A)  for those who wanted to keep other groups out of power.
B)  to prevent collective action.
C)  to attract greater participation in the political system.
D)  for those seeking to create policy that was beneficial for all.E) All of the above
F) B) and D)

Question 18

Which of the four criteria for an ideal voting system is violated if everyone in a town prefers to spend the budget on improved libraries instead of new public parks, and public park spending wins the vote?

Accepted Answer

A)  No dictator
B)  Unanimity
C)  Transitivity
D)  Independence of irrelevant alternativesE) C) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 19

The median-voter theorem suggests that:

Accepted Answer

A)  politicians maximize their votes by taking the policy position preferred by the median voter, under certain conditions.
B)  politicians always receive more votes in general elections when they appeal to extremists in their party.
C)  the middle voter is generally influenced by the side that provides more information about an issue.
D)  voters tend to vote with a "mob-mentality," all voting the same.E) B) and C)
F) A) and D)

Question 20

Suppose everyone in a town prefers to spend the budget on improved public transportation systems over public parks, but also prefers spending on public parks over building a public zoo. An ideal voting system would ensure that:

Accepted Answer

A)  public transportation spending could beat zoo funding.
B)  zoo funding could beat public transportation spending.
C)  public park spending could beat transportation spending.
D)  zoo funding could beat public park spending.E) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Exam 22: Political Choices

The table shown displays voters' preferences in an election. If a pairwise majority vote is held, which of the following is true?

Correct Answer
verified

Research demonstrates that elections can be swayed by politicians:

Correct Answer
verified

Arguably, the simplest voting system is:

Correct Answer
verified

The Condorcet paradox is a situation in which the preferences of each individual member of a group are _ and the collective preferences of the group are _.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the following is one of the conditions that must exist for the median-voter theorem to hold?

Correct Answer
verified

The table shown displays voters' preferences in an election. Suppose a pairwise majority vote is held. If the first pair voted on is libraries and education, the overall winner would be ___ the overall winner if the first pair voted on was libraries and safety. This illustrates _.

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the four criteria for an ideal voting system is violated if everyone in a town prefers to spend the budget on improved libraries instead of new public parks, and public park spending wins the vote?

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

The median-voter theorem suggests that:

Correct Answer
verified

When considering voting options, if option X beats Y, and Y beats Z, then transitivity says that:

Correct Answer
verified

Which theorem tells us that no voting system is perfect?

Correct Answer
verified

Suppose everyone in a town prefers to spend the budget on improved public transportation systems over public parks, but also prefers spending on public parks over building a public zoo. An ideal voting system would ensure that:

Correct Answer
verified

The use of mail-in ballots may actually cause voter participation to fall because:

Correct Answer
verified

Which of the four criteria for an ideal voting system is demonstrated when everyone in a town prefers to spend the budget on improved public transportation systems instead of new public parks, and transportation spending wins the vote?

Correct Answer
verified

Historically, controlling who was able to vote was an important tool:

Correct Answer
verified

When a smaller political group wishes to have influence in a government with pluralistic voting, it may:

Correct Answer
verified

Pairwise majority voting meets the _ criterion for an ideal voting system, but fails the _ criterion.

Correct Answer
verified

Political structure, or the process by which laws become enacted:

Correct Answer
verified

Bureaucratic capture:

Correct Answer
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Another name for plurality voting is:

Correct Answer
verified

Exam 22: Political Choices

The table shown displays voters' preferences in an election. If a pairwise majority vote is held, which of the following is true?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Research demonstrates that elections can be swayed by politicians:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Arguably, the simplest voting system is:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Condorcet paradox is a situation in which the preferences of each individual member of a group are _______ and the collective preferences of the group are _______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following is one of the conditions that must exist for the median-voter theorem to hold?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The table shown displays voters' preferences in an election. Suppose a pairwise majority vote is held. If the first pair voted on is libraries and education, the overall winner would be _________ the overall winner if the first pair voted on was libraries and safety. This illustrates _______.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the four criteria for an ideal voting system is violated if everyone in a town prefers to spend the budget on improved libraries instead of new public parks, and public park spending wins the vote?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The median-voter theorem suggests that:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When considering voting options, if option X beats Y, and Y beats Z, then transitivity says that:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which theorem tells us that no voting system is perfect?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Suppose everyone in a town prefers to spend the budget on improved public transportation systems over public parks, but also prefers spending on public parks over building a public zoo. An ideal voting system would ensure that:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The use of mail-in ballots may actually cause voter participation to fall because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the four criteria for an ideal voting system is demonstrated when everyone in a town prefers to spend the budget on improved public transportation systems instead of new public parks, and transportation spending wins the vote?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Historically, controlling who was able to vote was an important tool:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When a smaller political group wishes to have influence in a government with pluralistic voting, it may:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Pairwise majority voting meets the _______ criterion for an ideal voting system, but fails the _______ criterion.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Political structure, or the process by which laws become enacted:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Bureaucratic capture:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Another name for plurality voting is:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

The Condorcet paradox is a situation in which the preferences of each individual member of a group are _ and the collective preferences of the group are _.

Correct Answer
verified

Correct Answer
verified

The table shown displays voters' preferences in an election. Suppose a pairwise majority vote is held. If the first pair voted on is libraries and education, the overall winner would be ___ the overall winner if the first pair voted on was libraries and safety. This illustrates _.

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Pairwise majority voting meets the _ criterion for an ideal voting system, but fails the _ criterion.

Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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Correct Answer
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