What is Dillon's rule?
A local government should only have those powers expressly granted by the state.
What is the minimum population requirement in Texas for becoming a city?
201
Texas communities with a population of less than 5,000 may become what kind of city?
General-law city
Texas communities with a population over 5,000 may become what kind of city?
Home-rule city
What is the main advantage that a home-rule city has over a general-law city?
Greater flexibility in its organization and operation
What form of government influences the daily lives of citizens the most?
Municipal government
What is an initiative?
A proposed law arising from a citizen petition.
In Texas home-rule cities, which form of municipal structure prevails?
Council-manager form
Is a mayor with power to veto council actions a characteristic of the council-manager form of government?
NO
What is the role of political parties in Texas municipal elections?
Political parties have no formal involvement in these nonpartisan elections
Historically, at-large elections in Texas cities have resulted in what?
Less diversity of representation
What are the two largest tax sources for Texas municipalities?
Sales tax and property tax
Under the Texas Constitution, what local governments are administrative arms of the state?
Counties
How many counties are there in Texas?
254
N/A
N/A
Which county official has both administrative and judicial responsibilities?
County judge
Who is responsible for keeping the peace in each county?
County sheriff
Which county official is responsible for collecting vehicle registration fees and registering voters?
County tax assessor-collector
Which county official is responsible for record-keeping and conducting elections?
County clerk
Are congressional districts considered special districts?
No/ Is not
What segment of Texas higher education receives support from property taxes?
Junior and community collges
Define political party
An organization of individuals/ Interested in controlling government/ By winning elections
In Texas, what are the two leading political parties?
Democratic and Republicans
When is a general election held?
November of even-numbered years
The American political party system consists of what levels?
National, state, county, and precinct levels.
When are the primary elections in Texas usually held?
March of even-numbered years
What is the lowest level of the temporary party organizations in Texas?
Precinct conventions
Who is nominated at a party's precinct convention?
Delegates to the county convention
Describe the usual attendance level at precinct conventions in Texas.
Lightly or sparsely attended
Where are the resolutions adopted at the precinct convention submitted first?
County or district convention
What is the main business of county and district conventions?
Select delegates to the state convention
What happens at the party state convention during presidential election years only?
Select potential presidential electors.
The number of electoral voters each state receives is equal to what?
The number of seats each state has in Congress.
As mandated by Texas state law, how much each party's state executive committee be comprised?
Be composed equally of men and women
Concerning the "left-right" political divide in Texas, what term would most likely describe a politician that is generally opposed to government-managed or government-subsidized programs?
Conserative
Since the 1930's what terms have meant more to many Texas voters than the names of political parties?
Liberal and Conservative
The history of the Texas political party system has tended toward what?
Texas being a one-party state
After Reconstruction, what political party dominated in Texas for more than 100 years?
Democratic
What Texas governor was successful at the Republican Party's candidate for President in 2000?
George Bush
In what case did the Supreme Court overturn a ban on unlimited independent expenditures made by corporations, unions, and nonprofit organizations in federal elections?
In Citizens United vs Federal Election Commission (2010)
What did Raza Unida lose political effectiveness?
because The Texas Democratic Party has adopted issues appealing to Hispanic voters
What percent of Texas's African Americans citizens say that they are Democrats?
80%
For most Texans, their principal political activity consists of what?
Voting in elections
What is gerrymandering?
Manipulating legislative district lines to favor a political party or group.
In Texas, who has the responsibility or redistricting?
State legislature
What was the purpose of the so called "motor-voter law"
To expand the voting registering process
Compared to the rest of the country, voter turnout in Texas is higher or lower than the national average?
Lower
Of the various socioeconomic factors that influence voter turnout, what is considered the strongest?
Education
What is the purpose of primary election?
To select candidates to run for public office
What size vote is necessary for a candidate to win a general election?
Plurality
