3.2.1.5.1 The electoral process: candidate selection and electoral outcomes Quiz: AQA Politics, Unit 2

The 20 questions

1. How many electoral votes are needed to win the US presidency?

   • 270 of the 538 electoral votes
   • 51 of the 100 electoral votes
   • 300 of the 538 electoral votes
   • 218 of the 435 electoral votes

2. What is the Electoral College?

   • A committee of the Senate that approves all presidential nominees to federal posts
   • A national court that resolves disputes about the results of congressional elections
   • A council of state governors that sets the rules for each presidential primary
   • The body of electors chosen by the states that formally elects the President

3. What is a primary election in the US?

   • A national election in which the President is directly chosen by the popular vote
   • A meeting of party members in which delegates are chosen by a show of hands
   • A national convention in which the party formally nominates its presidential candidate
   • A state-run election in which voters choose candidates for a party's nomination

4. What is a caucus in US candidate selection?

   • A vote held by members of Congress to select their party's Speaker
   • A court hearing that decides which candidates may stand in a primary election
   • A meeting of party members in which delegates are chosen, often
   • A ballot held by the federal government to choose the party's presidential nominee

5. What is the role of the national nominating conventions?

   • They formally nominate a party's presidential
   • They decide the outcome of the general election by a vote of the national party committee
   • They elect the members of the Electoral College in each state for the coming term
   • They approve all federal judges and set the policy agenda for the Supreme Court

6. Which statement about the Electoral College is most accurate?

   • The Electoral College is decided by the House of Representatives in every presidential year
   • The Electoral College gives each state an equal number of votes regardless of population
   • A candidate who wins the national popular vote always wins the Electoral College as well
   • A candidate can win the Electoral College while losing the national popular vote

7. Which debate is commonly raised about the Electoral College's effect on campaigns?

   • Campaigns are equally spread across all states because the Electoral College requires it
   • Campaigns are decided entirely by the national convention before any voting begins
   • Campaigns are banned from holding rallies in states with fewer than 10 electoral votes
   • Campaigns focus on a small number of swing states, which may limit attention to voters elsewhere

8. What is the significance of the number of electoral votes allocated to each state?

   • It equals the state's number of Senate seats only, so every state has the same number of electors
   • It equals the state's number of governors, who vote as electors in each presidential election
   • It equals the state's population divided by 1000 and rounded to the nearest whole number
   • It equals the state's number of House seats plus its two Senate seats, which reflects both population and equal state representation

9. Which factor is commonly cited as affecting electoral outcomes in the US?

   • Money, media, issues, leadership and incumbency
   • The number of judges appointed by the President in the previous four years
   • The number of bills passed by the Senate in the previous session of Congress
   • The number of executive orders signed by the President in the previous term

10. What is the significance of incumbency in US elections?

    • Incumbents are barred from standing for re-election in any US election after their first term
    • Incumbents often have advantages such as name recognition, fundraising and media attention
    • Incumbents always lose their seats because voters prefer new candidates in every election
    • Incumbents are automatically elected to a second term without any opposition in the race

11. What is the debate about campaign finance in the US?

    • Whether campaigns should be banned from spending any money on advertising at all
    • Whether large donations and spending by groups and individuals distort elections and political influence
    • Whether candidates should be paid a salary by the Supreme Court for each campaign
    • Whether each state should decide its own presidential electors without any federal rules

12. Which description matches state-level direct democracy in the US?

    • Voters elect judges to the Supreme Court in every state by a national ballot
    • Voters choose the President by a direct vote of their state legislature
    • Voters have no direct role in state government, which is run entirely by the governor
    • Voters can vote directly on laws through initiatives, referendums

13. Which factor is linked to split ticket voting?

    • Voters choosing to support a candidate for President after first casting a ballot for a judge
    • Voters choosing only candidates from the party they supported in every previous election
    • Voters choosing candidates from different parties for different offices in the same election
    • Voters choosing to abstain from voting in every election for the Senate and the House

14. Which description best matches high levels of abstention in US elections?

    • Abstention is mainly a feature of the Electoral College, which discourages voters from casting ballots
    • Abstention is required by law in US elections, so voters must not turn out on election day
    • Almost every eligible voter casts a ballot in every US election, so abstention is rare
    • A significant share of eligible voters do not turn out, which is a recognised feature of US elections

15. Which statement about realigning elections is most accurate?

    • Realigning elections have no effect on party coalitions, because voters never change their party
    • Realigning elections are elections in which the Supreme Court decides the outcome
    • Realigning elections, such as 1932 and 1968, shifted the coalitions of voters that supported each party
    • Realigning elections are held only when the Electoral College is abolished by Congress

16. Which evaluation best supports the view that voting behaviour is shaped by issues and candidates?

    • Voters respond to the policies and personal qualities of candidates, which can change their support across elections
    • Voters respond only to the number of years that candidates have served as judges
    • Voters respond only to the instructions issued by their state governor on election day
    • Voters respond only to the popular vote totals in the previous election and nothing else

17. Which evaluation best assesses the statement that voting behaviour depends on party coalitions?

    • Party coalitions are created by the Supreme Court and applied to each election
    • Party coalitions of demographic and ideological groups shape how voters align, though these links can change over time
    • Party coalitions are fixed for ever, and voters never change their support between elections
    • Party coalitions have no effect on voting, because voters choose candidates at random

18. Which factor most clearly distinguishes presidential and congressional elections in the US?

    • Presidential elections are decided by the Supreme Court, whereas congressional elections are decided by the Electoral College
    • Presidential elections are decided by the Electoral College, whereas congressional seats are won
    • Congressional elections are decided by the Electoral College, whereas presidential elections are decided by popular vote in each state
    • Both presidential and congressional elections are decided only by state legislatures using a single round of voting

19. Which argument best supports the view that the Electoral College can produce outcomes that differ from the national vote?

    • The Electoral College gives equal weight to every citizen's vote, so national and state outcomes never differ
    • The Electoral College always produces the same result as the national popular vote, because electors vote for the majority
    • Winner-take-all allocation means a candidate can win many states narrowly and still lose the national popular vote
    • The Electoral College is decided by the House of Representatives, which uses a national vote of all citizens

20. Which evaluation best supports the view that incumbency and money shape outcomes in congressional elections?

    • Incumbents win only when the Supreme Court approves their candidacy in advance
    • Incumbents are always defeated because voters prefer new candidates in every congressional contest
    • Incumbents rarely win re-election because money has no effect on congressional campaigns
    • Incumbents tend to raise more money and have higher name recognition, which can make their re-election more likely

Related quizzes

• The constitutional framework of US government Quiz · 3.2.1.1 · 20 questions
• The legislative branch: Congress Quiz · 3.2.1.2 · 20 questions
• The executive branch: sources and constraints of presidential power Quiz · 3.2.1.3.1 · 20 questions
• The executive branch: Imperial versus Imperilled Presidency Quiz · 3.2.1.3.2 · 20 questions
• The judicial branch: selection and role of the Supreme Court Quiz · 3.2.1.4.1 · 20 questions
• The judicial branch: judicial review and landmark rulings Quiz · 3.2.1.4.2 · 20 questions
• Direct democracy and voting behaviour in the USA Quiz · 3.2.1.5.2 · 20 questions
• Political parties Quiz · 3.2.1.6 · 20 questions
• Pressure groups Quiz · 3.2.1.7 · 20 questions
• Civil rights Quiz · 3.2.1.8 · 20 questions