POLS 207 LIM EXAM 4 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
list the four roles of the legislative branch - Answers- - make statutory laws
- amend constitutions
- serve constituents
- bring government funding
Which branch did the founders want to be the strongest? - Answers- the legislative
branch
What are statutory laws? - Answers- laws developed by federal, state and local
governments and created by the passing of bills
Are there many or few amendments to the constitution of Texas? - Answers- many
Do longer or shorter constitutions keep up with the times better? - Answers- shorter
constitutions
What is representation based on in Texas? - Answers- geographic representation
what is a heterogenous district? - Answers- diverse district
what is a homogenous district? - Answers- all the same people
How many house districts do we have in Texas? - Answers- 150
How many senate districts do we have in Texas? - Answers- 31
How many congressmen do we have in Texas - Answers- 181
What is the margin of error allowed in the drawing of districts? - Answers- 1%
What is redistricting? - Answers- The redrawing of the boundaries of the congressional
districts within each state to favor congressmen.
Who creates districts? - Answers- state legislatures
how many districts does Texas have to draw up - Answers- 181 [house and senate] +
36 [state]
What did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 do? - Answers- it prevented racial
gerrymandering by race
what is fracturing? - Answers- fracturing the districts with minorities as the majority so
they aren't elected
, what is packing - Answers- Concentrating like-minded voters together in one district to
reduce their voting power in other districts. Creates super-districts
True/False. Illegal immigrants are excluded from the census. - Answers- False.
Is the power of your vote stronger if you live in a larger or smaller district? - Answers-
smaller district [e.g. 60 people determine vote makes power of your vote 1/60 vs. 200
people determine vote makes power of your vote 1/200]
In a typical state that is not Texas, Mississippi, or Louisiana, you would have more
Republicans/Democrats. - Answers- Democrats
List some districting requirements. - Answers- - must be contiguous
- must have equal populations
- must be compact in shape
- must not partisan gerrymand
What increases competition? - Answers- - incumbent defeat
- voluntary retirement
what decreases competiton? - Answers- - incumbent advantage [unopposed]
- appointment of leaders
Name two forms of non-geographic representation. - Answers- - entrepreneural:
representation by where you work
- random selection: representation randomly selected by computer
what is one of the most important policies ? - Answers- water policy
Is it easier to represent a homogenous or a hetergenous district? - Answers-
homogenous
What did Reynolds v. Sims do? - Answers- 14th amendment requires state legislative
districts reflect fair "one person, one vote" rule
True/false. Equal representation is a requirement. - Answers- True
True/False. It is easy to draw up exact districts. - Answers- False.
how does a bill become a law - Answers- starts in house committee for first reading,
assigned to committee, placed on calendar, amended, voted on, if passed governor
must sign
How long is the legislative session in Texas? - Answers- 140 days
When are bills typically presented? - Answers- halfway through a legislative session
list the four roles of the legislative branch - Answers- - make statutory laws
- amend constitutions
- serve constituents
- bring government funding
Which branch did the founders want to be the strongest? - Answers- the legislative
branch
What are statutory laws? - Answers- laws developed by federal, state and local
governments and created by the passing of bills
Are there many or few amendments to the constitution of Texas? - Answers- many
Do longer or shorter constitutions keep up with the times better? - Answers- shorter
constitutions
What is representation based on in Texas? - Answers- geographic representation
what is a heterogenous district? - Answers- diverse district
what is a homogenous district? - Answers- all the same people
How many house districts do we have in Texas? - Answers- 150
How many senate districts do we have in Texas? - Answers- 31
How many congressmen do we have in Texas - Answers- 181
What is the margin of error allowed in the drawing of districts? - Answers- 1%
What is redistricting? - Answers- The redrawing of the boundaries of the congressional
districts within each state to favor congressmen.
Who creates districts? - Answers- state legislatures
how many districts does Texas have to draw up - Answers- 181 [house and senate] +
36 [state]
What did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 do? - Answers- it prevented racial
gerrymandering by race
what is fracturing? - Answers- fracturing the districts with minorities as the majority so
they aren't elected
, what is packing - Answers- Concentrating like-minded voters together in one district to
reduce their voting power in other districts. Creates super-districts
True/False. Illegal immigrants are excluded from the census. - Answers- False.
Is the power of your vote stronger if you live in a larger or smaller district? - Answers-
smaller district [e.g. 60 people determine vote makes power of your vote 1/60 vs. 200
people determine vote makes power of your vote 1/200]
In a typical state that is not Texas, Mississippi, or Louisiana, you would have more
Republicans/Democrats. - Answers- Democrats
List some districting requirements. - Answers- - must be contiguous
- must have equal populations
- must be compact in shape
- must not partisan gerrymand
What increases competition? - Answers- - incumbent defeat
- voluntary retirement
what decreases competiton? - Answers- - incumbent advantage [unopposed]
- appointment of leaders
Name two forms of non-geographic representation. - Answers- - entrepreneural:
representation by where you work
- random selection: representation randomly selected by computer
what is one of the most important policies ? - Answers- water policy
Is it easier to represent a homogenous or a hetergenous district? - Answers-
homogenous
What did Reynolds v. Sims do? - Answers- 14th amendment requires state legislative
districts reflect fair "one person, one vote" rule
True/false. Equal representation is a requirement. - Answers- True
True/False. It is easy to draw up exact districts. - Answers- False.
how does a bill become a law - Answers- starts in house committee for first reading,
assigned to committee, placed on calendar, amended, voted on, if passed governor
must sign
How long is the legislative session in Texas? - Answers- 140 days
When are bills typically presented? - Answers- halfway through a legislative session
