2Nd Annual Eagleton Alumni Election Day Quiz

**Election Day 2009 Edition**

2nd Annual Eagleton Alumni Election Day Quiz Calling all political junkies in New Jersey and beyond… Put your political smarts to the test with the Eagleton Alumni Election Day quiz! The quiz covers New Jersey elections, ballot questions and contests outside New Jersey. Be sure to include your contact information below and please answer all 20 questions. The winner’s name will be engraved on the Eagleton Alumni Cup to be displayed at Eagleton OR in your home for the year…winner’s choice! Please fax or email your answers to Sarah Kozak by November 2 nd Fax: 732-932-6778 Email: [email protected]

Good luck!

Eagleton Class of

Address:

City, State, Zip:

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Phone #:

Section I - Gubernatorial Elections

1. Who will win the race for Governor of New Jersey? a) Jon Corzine (D) b) Chris Christie (R) c) Chris Daggett (I)

2. Which independent poll will most closely predict the winner of the gubernatorial election, based on the last polls published before November 3? a) Farleigh Dickinson Public Mind b) Monmouth University/Gannett c) Quinnipiac d) Rasmussen e) Rutgers/Eagleton

3. What will the spread be between the winner of the New Jersey gubernatorial election and the second place candidate? a) < 1% b) 1 -5% c) 5.1-10% d) > 10%

4. What percentage of the vote will independent candidate Chris Daggett win in the New Jersey gubernatorial election? a) <6% b) 6 - 10 % c) 10.1 - 14% d) 14.1 – 18% e) >18%

5. At what time will the winner of the New Jersey gubernatorial election be announced by the Associated Press? a) Before 9pm b) Between 9pm and 10pm c) Between 10pm and 11pm d) Between 11pm and midnight e) After midnight

6. New Jersey has been on a downward slope in voter turnout for gubernatorial races – 65% in 1993, 56% in 1997, 49% in 2001, and 49% in 2005. What will turnout be this year? a) < 46% b) 46%-49% c) 49.1%-53% d) 53.1%-56% e) > 56%

7. Which county will record the highest percentage of votes for Democrats?

______(Name of NJ County)

8. Which county will record the highest percentage of votes for Republicans?

______(Name of NJ County)

Section II – Other New Jersey Elections

9. The current breakdown in the Assembly is: 48 Democrats and 32 Republicans. How will the parties fare in this election? a) Democrats will gain seats b) Republicans will gain seats but stay in minority c) Republicans will take majority d) No change

10. The Marlboro Township Council race (Monmouth County) includes first-time candidate and Eagleton Alumnus Jack Zatz. There are currently 3 Democrats and 2 Republicans on the Council. Will Zatz (R) win one of the three seats that are up for election? a) Yes b) No 11. Assembly District 1 has one of the most hotly contested Assembly election contests this cycle with two Democratic incumbents. Which two candidates will win in District 1? a) Nelson Albano (D) incumbent b) Matthew Milam (D) incumbent c) Mike Donohue (R) d) John McCann (R)

12. The city of Hoboken was in the spotlight this summer when newly elected Mayor Pete Cammarano was arrested on corruption charges less than a month into his term. Now, three women are among the seven candidates running to fill his seat. Which candidate will win the Hoboken mayoral election? a) Beth Mason (City Councilwoman) b) Dawn Zimmer (Interim Mayor, Council President) c) Kimberly Glatt (Former Municipal Court Judge) d) Other ______

Section III - NJ Ballot Questions

13. State Ballot Question #1 authorizes the state to issue $400 million in new bonds to fund open space preservation projects. Will New Jersey residents pass the initiative to preserve open space in the most densely populated state in the country or will they oppose the initiative in order to prevent the already cash-strapped state government from issuing $400 million in new bonds to fund the project? a) Question #1 will pass b) Question #1 will fail

14. New Brunswick is one of the few cities in New Jersey with an entirely at-large City Council. A ballot question in this election would change the system so each of New Brunswick’s six wards would elect a council member and three additional members would be elected at-large. Will the question pass? a) Yes, New Brunswick will adopt a ward system for the City Council. b) No, the New Brunswick City Council will keep the current system.

Section IV - Contests Outside New Jersey

15. Who will win the race for Governor of Virginia? a) Bob McDonnell (R) b) Creigh Deeds (D)

16. In May, the Maine state legislature passed a law legalizing gay marriage. The state’s Ballot Question #1 seeks to repeal the law. Will voters in Maine pass Question 1? a) Yes, gay marriage will be repealed b) No, gay marriage will be upheld

17. Who will win the New York City mayoral election? a) Mike Bloomberg b) Bill Thompson

18. After a recount of the August Afghan presidential election unearthed widespread voter fraud, a run-off election was scheduled for November 7th between incumbent President Hamid Karzai and challenger Abdullah Abdullah (former Minister of Foreign Affairs). What will the outcome of this runoff be? a) Karzai Wins b) Abdullah Wins c) The election is invalidated due to fraud 19. The only Congressional election in November, New York’s 23rd district has a three-way contest to replace Republican John M. McHugh, who resigned from office to become Secretary of the Army in September. The district has not elected a Democrat since 1871, but the most recent Siena poll has the Democrat leading by 4. Prominent Republicans are divided, with some supporting the Conservative Party candidate. Who will win in NY district 23? a) Doug Hoffman (Conservative Party) b) Bill Owens (D) c) Dede Scozzafava (R)

Tie Breaker

20. Of the 16 non-incumbent women seeking New Jersey Assembly seats, how many will win their general election contests? HINT: view CAWP's candidate page to see the candidates and the districts in which they are running. http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/fast_facts/elections/candidates_2009.php#09

______(Prediction closest to the correct number without going over wins)