General law cities usually have a population under ___________ people
What is 5,000?
100
This is the main governing and policy-making body in a county.
What is the Commissioners Court.
100
This is what the US Constitution has to say about political parties
What is nothing?
100
Conservatives typically identify with the __________ party
What is Republican
100
An organization of individuals with broad, common interests who organize to win elections, to operate the government, and to thereby influence government policy
What is a political party
200
These are the two classifications of special districts
What are educational and non-educational?
200
There are 25 of these areas in Texas, the largest being Dallas-Forth Worth-Arlington, and they often set up councils, informal governments and other structures to deal with growth and development
What is a metropolitan area?
200
In an __________ primary not only declared members of a party but anyone is allowed to vote for that party’s nominees.
What is an open primary?
200
In Texas, what has traditionally been the strongest political party throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries?
What is the Democratic party?
200
This is the word for lack of interest in politics and voting and feeling that voting doesn’t matter
What is apathy?
300
This is the post popular city form in Texas with a city council weak mayor and a hired professional as the chief administrator.
What is the council manager form?
300
This person hasn't actually assessed property values since 1978, but they do collect revenue.
What is the county tax assessor-collector?
300
This is the term for a series of statements expressing the principles, beliefs, and positions of a candidate on election issues and a plan of action if they are elected
What is a platform?
300
What are some challenges that 3rd parties face?
What is they rarely win elections because of nations two party system; candidates must obtain a large number of voter signatures to get on ballot; they have trouble raising enough money to compete in campaigns against major party candidates.
300
In a winner-take-all system, if Bob wins 47% of a states’ popular vote and Kathie wins 49%, this is how the state’s electoral votes de divided among the candidates
What is Kathie gets all the votes?
400
The strong-mayor council form is used only in these two cities in Texas
What are Houston and El Paso?
400
What are the two basic roles of the county?
What are to 1. serve as the long arm of the state and 2. to provide basic services?
400
Elections and conventions make up this structure in an American political party.
What is the temporary structure?
400
This person was the first Republican elected to the Senate after the Reconstruction. He later became prominent under Reagan.
Who is John Tower?
400
The percentage of Americans who voted in the 2008 election was about ________________ percent.
What is 55% to 60%?
500
There are about this many community and junior college special districts in Texas
What is 50?
500
This person is appointed by the district judge to oversee the collection and disbursement of county funds and is in all counties over 10,000 in population are required to have auditors
Who is the county auditor?
500
Texas is currently classified as having _____________ competitive parties.
What is two?
500
Dealignment is described as _____________________
What is the trend or process whereby a large portion of the electorate abandons its previous partisan affiliation, without developing a new one to replace it?
500
This is a strip of land around a city where and growth development is controlled.