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How does the Electoral College reflect Federalism?
Federalism is reflected in the fact that States as well as the Federal government both play a part in the election of a president.
What is a "swing" State?
A "swing" state is a state whose voting record in presidential elections has a record of "swinging" back and forth from one party to another. Candidates spend lots of time in "swing" states because there is higher chance of convincing states to vote for them than there is in a state that has a voting record of always voting either Democrat or Republican.
Why are congressional districts drawn in such odd shapes in many states?
Congressional districts are required to have close to the same amount of population in each district which often requires cities to be split into many districts. That combined with the majority party's desire to either pack as many of the minority party into just a few districts so that they will win only those that have been packed or cracking the district up into many districts with less minority voters than majority voters.
Which one of the ways in which an amendment can be proposed or ratified has of yet never been used?
A national convention has NEVER been called for by state legislatures in order to propose an amendment
Which two amendments in the Bill of Rights are most often needed by those accused of a crime?
The Fifth and Sixth Amendments are both full of information about your rights if you have been accused of a crime.
What criteria determines how many electors each state will get in the Electoral College?
Each state will get the same number of members they have in Congress.
Example: Texas= 38 House of Representatives
+ 2 Senators
= 40 Electors
Where did "Gerrymandering" get its name?
Gerrymandering received it's name when a news reporter called a congressional district in the state of Massachusetts a Gerrymander because of it's odd shape. He was referring to Massachusetts Governor, Elridge Gerry.
What is a change or addition to the written word of the Constitution?
A change or addition to the written word of the Constitution is known as an Amendment.
As of today, how many amendments have been made to the Constitution?
As of today, only 27 amendments have been made to the Constitution.
Which of the 27 Amendments is the most used Amendment today. It states that everyone should have equal access to the law (Due Process).
The Fourteenth Amendment, originally written to grant former slaves the same Constitutional rights as other American citizens, is the most used amendment today.
Why are there 538 members in the Electoral College when we all know that there are only 535 members in Congress?
The 23rd Amendment gave the citizens living in Washington, District of Columbia, our nation's capital the right to vote in presidential elections. This added 3 more Electoral College Members. 2 for a senator (they have no senators) and 1, the minimum number of House of Representative members a state can have. (they have no House representatives)
Why do states often redraw Congressional districts after the census has tallied the the state's population?
If a state loses population they may also lose House representation. If a state gains in population they may gain representation in the House. If either occurs new district lines will have to be created to represent the loss or gain in seats.
What are the two ways in which and amendment to the Constitution can be proposed?
An amendment to the Constitution can be proposed:
1. By a 2/3 vote in both houses of Congress
OR
2. By a national convention called requested by 2/3 of the State Legislatures.
By what name are the first ten amendments to the Constitution known for?
The first ten amendments to the Constitution are known as the Bill of Rights.
Which amendment did away with gender as a determinant to vote?
The Nineteenth Amendment, giving women the right to vote, did away with gender as a determinant to vote.
What is the magic number of Electoral Votes that a presidential candidate must receive on election night to win the presidency?
270 is the number that guarantees a presidential victory.
Who actually redraws Congressional districts in most states that add or subtract seats in the House of Representation?
In most states, state legislatures are responsible for redrawing Congressional districts.
What are the two ways in which a proposed amendment to the Constitution can be ratified?
An amendment can be ratified by:
1. An approval by 3/4 of the state's legislatures.
or
2. By approval in special state ratifying conventions in 3/4 of the states.
By what name are the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments collectively known as?
The Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments are often referred to as the Civil War Amendments.
Which of the 27 Amendments did away with race as a determinant to vote?
The Fifteenth Amendment, written to give former male slaves the right to vote did away with race as a determinant to vote.
Name two issues that many people have with the Electoral Colleges.
1. It's possible to win the popular vote and lose the Electoral College vote.
2. Neither the Constitution nor Federal law requires electors to vote according to state popular vote.
3. Several "swing" states get almost all the attention in an election year.
Why are 90% of all House of Representative races very uncompetitive?
Through Gerrymandering only about one tenth (1/10) of Congressional seats are competitive because the lines are drawn in such a manner that the minority party in the state has little chance of winning in most districts.
How is federalism apparent in the Amendment process?
Federalism is apparent in the Amendment process because the Federal government proposes amendments and the states ratify amendments.
Which Amendment is the only amendment to ever be written to repeal another amendment?
The Twenty-First Amendment is the only amendment to ever have been written to repeal another. It repealed the Eighteenth Amendment.
Which Amendment, written during the Vietnam War era, gave eighteen year old's the right to vote?
The Twenty-Sixth Amendment was written to give eighteen year old's that were being drafted into the Vietnam War an opportunity to vote for or against those who were running the war.