3.2.1.5.2 Direct democracy and voting behaviour in the USA Quiz: AQA Politics, Unit 2

The 20 questions

1. What is a primary election in the US?

   • A contest held within a party to choose its candidate for a later general election
   • A national vote that elects the president directly without the Electoral College, held on the same day as the primaries
   • A local referendum deciding whether a state holds a general election that year
   • A vote in Congress to choose the party leader in the House of Representatives

2. What is a caucus in the US nomination process?

   • A petition signed by registered voters to place an independent candidate on the ballot
   • A meeting of party members in a state who discuss candidates and vote, often in stages
   • A secret ballot run by the national party to approve its vice-presidential running mate
   • A committee of members of Congress that drafts the party platform in Washington DC

3. How many electoral votes must a presidential candidate win to be elected?

   • 270 of the 538 electoral votes
   • 51 of the 100 Senate seats
   • 250 of the 538 electoral votes
   • 218 of the 435 House of Representatives seats

4. What is split-ticket voting?

   • Voting for candidates of different parties for different offices in the same election
   • Dividing one vote equally between two candidates in a multi-member district
   • Voting for two candidates of the same party in a single state legislature race, which is generally counted as a split ticket
   • Casting a ballot in both a primary election and a later general election

5. What is a recall election?

   • A vote by Electoral College members to overturn the result of a presidential election
   • A vote to choose a replacement candidate after a nominee withdraws before the general election
   • A vote to remove an elected official from office before their term has ended
   • A vote to repeal a law already passed by a state legislature and signed by the governor

6. What does a citizen initiative allow voters to do?

   • Require the governor to call a referendum on any bill the governor has vetoed
   • Propose a new law or amendment by collecting enough signatures to put it to a public vote
   • Force Congress to hold a vote on a bill that a state legislature has already rejected
   • Elect state judges directly through a statewide ballot without any legislative involvement

7. What is abstention in US elections?

   • Casting a blank ballot that is counted as a vote for the eventual winning candidate
   • Refusing to accept the official result after a completed and certified election
   • Choosing not to vote even though one is eligible to do so
   • Voting for a third-party candidate who has no realistic chance of winning the election

8. In most US states, how are electoral votes allocated in a presidential election?

   • By a national popular vote, which then distributes electoral votes to each state in proportion to its population and turnout
   • Winner-takes-all: the candidate with the most popular votes in the state receives all its electoral votes
   • Proportionally, in line with each candidate's share of the state's popular vote
   • Equally between the two main parties, regardless of the result in the state

9. A state has 16 electoral votes. Candidate A wins its popular vote 51% to 49% under winner-takes-all. How many electoral votes does Candidate A receive?

   • 9 electoral votes, reflecting the margin of the popular vote
   • All 16 electoral votes
   • 8 electoral votes, reflecting the 51% share of the vote
   • 0 electoral votes, because the result was too close to allocate

10. Which factor best explains the incumbency advantage in congressional elections?

    • Incumbents are legally guaranteed a place on the ballot, while challengers must win a primary first
    • Incumbents must serve no more than two terms, so voters are more likely to re-elect them
    • Sitting members have higher name recognition, more media coverage and easier access to fundraising than challengers
    • Incumbents can use the Electoral College to secure re-election in their home district

11. Which argument is most commonly made in favour of limiting campaign spending?

    • It ensures every candidate receives the same amount of free media coverage
    • It reduces the influence of wealthy donors and promotes a fairer contest between candidates
    • It increases the number of third-party candidates who can afford to contest elections, since spending caps favour small parties
    • It guarantees incumbents will raise more money than challengers in every election

12. What is the key difference between a referendum and an initiative at state level?

    • A referendum elects officials, while an initiative is used only to remove them from office
    • A referendum requires a national vote, while an initiative needs only a state legislature vote
    • A referendum is put to voters by government, while an initiative is put to voters through a citizen petition
    • A referendum can be triggered only by Congress, while an initiative only by a governor

13. Why are the 1932 and 1968 elections often cited in discussions of realigning elections?

    • They were the only elections in which the Electoral College voted against the national popular vote
    • They were the first elections in which voters could cast a ballot by post in federal contests
    • They were the only elections in which a third party won more electoral votes than either major party, ending two-party rule
    • They are used to illustrate how major shifts in voter coalitions can reshape party support for years

14. Which statement best describes the Electoral College debate in relation to campaigns?

    • Candidates ignore swing states entirely, since the Electoral College rewards only candidates with large national majorities
    • Candidates campaign mainly in the most populous states, because the Electoral College is designed to favour them alone
    • Candidates spend equal time in every state, because each state's electoral votes are guaranteed in advance
    • Candidates concentrate time and money in a small number of swing states, as results in safe states are largely settled

15. Why might divided government make policy-making slower in the US?

    • Divided government guarantees that bills pass through both chambers more quickly than under unified control
    • The president and Congress may be controlled by different parties, making agreement on legislation harder
    • Divided government removes the need for committees, so bills move directly to a vote in both chambers
    • Divided government means the Supreme Court must approve every bill before it becomes law

16. Which factor is often cited to explain high abstention in US elections?

    • Registration requirements and the absence of compulsory voting make voting costly for some citizens
    • Polling stations are open only on weekdays, which is a requirement set by the Supreme Court in each federal election year
    • Voters are automatically registered at birth, so they assume that voting is unnecessary
    • Compulsory voting in every state means that many people refuse to comply with the law

17. Which statement best distinguishes caucuses from primaries?

    • Caucuses select the president directly, whereas primaries choose only the vice-presidential candidate
    • Caucuses involve participants meeting in person to debate and vote, often with fewer people taking part than in primaries
    • Caucuses are always held on a single national day, whereas primaries are run only by individual state parties
    • Caucuses use a secret ballot by post, whereas primaries require participants to attend a public meeting

18. An analyst claims that spending alone decides US election outcomes. Which response is most accurate?

    • Spending decides outcomes only in primaries, since general elections are determined by the Electoral College alone and by nothing else
    • Spending alone decides outcomes, because the best-funded candidate has won every presidential election since 1980
    • Spending matters, but it does not guarantee victory, since candidates, issues and national conditions also shape results
    • Spending is irrelevant, because federal law limits all candidates to the same level of campaign expenditure

19. Which criticism of direct democracy at state level is most commonly made?

    • Direct democracy is banned in every state, so critics argue it exists only in federal elections for the presidency
    • Direct democracy gives politicians too little opportunity to shape proposals, because courts must draft all measures
    • Direct democracy allows only one proposal per state each decade, which limits the range of issues voters can decide
    • Wealthy interest groups can fund signature gathering and advertising, and complex measures may be poorly understood by voters

20. Which best describes the 'popular vote' in a US presidential election?

    • The number of electoral votes a candidate wins in the Electoral College after all states report
    • The total nationwide count of votes cast directly by citizens for each presidential candidate
    • The count of votes cast by state legislators in favour of their preferred presidential candidate
    • The vote held by members of the House of Representatives when no candidate secures a majority

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