Elections & Voter Registration Flashcards
7 cards from real CMO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Elections & Voter Registration flashcards as text
What is a 'provisional ballot' and when must one be offered?
Answer: A ballot offered when a voter's eligibility cannot be confirmed at the polls
Under HAVA, a provisional ballot must be offered to any voter whose eligibility is in question so their vote can be counted after eligibility is verified.
Which of the following is a valid ground for challenging a voter's registration in most states?
Answer: The voter has moved outside the jurisdiction since registering
A voter who has moved outside the jurisdiction is no longer eligible to be registered there, which is a valid legal ground for a registration challenge.
In a non-partisan municipal election, candidate names on the ballot are typically arranged in what manner?
Answer: By random drawing or rotation as specified by state law
Most states require candidate ballot order in non-partisan elections to be determined by random drawing or rotation to prevent positional bias.
What does 'precinct' refer to in the context of municipal elections?
Answer: The smallest geographic unit used to organize and administer voting
A precinct is the basic geographic subdivision of a jurisdiction used to assign voters to specific polling places for election administration.
A voter submits an absentee ballot application but the election office receives it one day after the state deadline. What should the clerk do?
Answer: Deny the application and notify the voter they may vote in person on election day
Absentee ballot application deadlines are statutory; a late application must be denied, but the voter retains the right to vote in person.
Which agency is primarily responsible for enforcing federal voting rights laws including the Voting Rights Act?
Answer: The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is the primary federal enforcer of the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws.
A municipality wants to change the boundaries of its voting precincts. What is typically required before this can take effect?
Answer: Notice to affected voters and, in covered jurisdictions, federal preclearance or non-objection
Precinct boundary changes require public notice to affected voters, and jurisdictions covered under the Voting Rights Act must seek federal preclearance or demonstrate non-retrogression.