3.2.2.4 Electoral and party systems: UK and US comparison Quiz: AQA Politics, Unit 2

The 20 questions

1. Which electoral system is used for UK general elections?

   • Additional member system applied to all parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales
   • Single transferable vote in multi-member constituencies for all seats in the House of Commons
   • Party list proportional representation across the whole country in a single national constituency
   • First-past-the-post in single-member constituencies

2. Which electoral systems are used for the US House of Representatives and presidency?

   • Party list for Senate seats and the additional member system for choosing presidential electors
   • Single transferable vote for House seats and a majority run-off system for the presidency
   • Proportional representation for House seats and a national popular vote for the presidency
   • Plurality in single-member congressional districts for the House, and the Electoral College for the presidency

3. Which best describes the UK party system's recent trend?

   • Support for the two main parties has declined, and the UK has moved towards a more multi-party system
   • Only the Conservatives and Labour have won seats in the House of Commons since 1945
   • Parties have been banned from nominating candidates in any constituency since the 1920s
   • Parties have been legally required to merge into two blocs since the end of the Second World War, which fixed the party system

4. How are UK parties financially supported by the state?

   • UK parties receive unlimited federal funding for every candidate, equally distributed across all parties and paid out before each election
   • UK parties are banned from receiving donations from individuals or corporations at any point
   • Opposition parties receive limited public funding through Short money to support their parliamentary work
   • UK parties are funded entirely through an annual civil list payment made by the Monarch

5. How are candidates typically chosen in the UK and the US?

   • In both countries candidates are chosen by the Supreme Court to ensure fairness in each contest
   • Local constituency associations usually select UK candidates, whereas US candidates are typically chosen in primaries
   • UK candidates are chosen by a national referendum of all voters before each general election is held
   • US candidates are appointed by the President after the general election has been held and certified

6. Why might a party winning 30% of the national vote win far fewer than 30% of UK seats?

   • The Electoral College reallocates seats to the largest parties after each national election is held
   • Parties are allocated seats in proportion to their membership rather than to the votes they receive from the public each election
   • Its support is spread thinly across constituencies, so it finishes second in many without winning seats
   • The Speaker removes seats from parties that do not hold a majority of members in the Commons

7. What is a hung parliament?

   • A decision by the Monarch to appoint two Prime Ministers to govern a single parliament together
   • A parliament in which no party holds a majority, so parties may form a coalition or a minority government
   • A referendum requiring two parties to share executive power after each general election is held
   • A rule requiring the two largest parties to govern together in every parliament regardless of the result of the election

8. What do US federal campaign finance rules generally limit?

   • Direct contributions by individuals to candidates, applying equally to both major parties
   • Donations to candidates, which the federal government matches with unlimited public money in every case
   • Donations to any candidate, which must be published by the party within twenty-four hours of receipt
   • Campaign donations from individuals to federal candidates, which federal law does not regulate at all

9. Which best contrasts party discipline in the UK and US?

   • UK parties have no formal whips, so MPs vote according to their constituency preferences alone
   • US parties enforce discipline through a binding caucus vote on every bill passing through the Senate
   • UK parties rely on whipping to enforce voting discipline, whereas US party members often vote more independently of leaders
   • Both countries prohibit party whips from enforcing votes on any legislation at any stage of its passage

10. Which statement best describes third parties in the UK compared with the US?

    • Third parties in both countries win seats only when they merge with one of the major parties
    • The UK's electoral system has allowed smaller parties, such as the Liberal Democrats, to win seats, which the US system rarely does
    • The US system allows third parties to win seats through proportional representation in the Senate and House alike, as in most states
    • The UK bans third parties from contesting elections under the Representation of the People Act

11. What is the position of independent candidates in UK elections?

    • Independents can win seats in constituencies using first-past-the-post, though this is rare
    • UK independents are barred from the ballot unless they are nominated by a registered political party
    • UK independents win seats only in the House of Lords, where places are allocated by public vote
    • UK independents are allocated seats automatically in proportion to their share of the national vote

12. Why does the US continue to have a two-party system while the UK is moving towards multi-party politics?

    • US presidential and district electoral systems block third parties, while UK voting has fragmented as minority parties grew
    • The UK uses proportional representation for all elections, which has created a multi-party system since 1998
    • The US uses proportional representation for Congress, which has produced a stable two-party system since 1800
    • The UK abolished its two-party system by law after the 2010 coalition agreement was signed

13. Which is the best evaluation of campaign and party finance limits in the UK and US?

    • Limits have no effect on undue influence, since donors always find ways around them in practice
    • Limits prove that donations never affect policy in either country under any circumstances, which is why reform is never needed
    • Limits may reduce undue influence, but critics argue they restrict political speech and can favour parties with established donor networks
    • Limits have been banned in both countries by constitutional law since the early nineteen hundreds

14. Which best compares how party unity affects legislative success in the UK and US?

    • UK legislation passes only when all parties agree, while US legislation passes by a simple majority in the Senate
    • US party discipline is stronger than UK discipline, so US presidents always pass their bills through Congress
    • Strong UK party discipline usually secures government bills, whereas a US president must build cross-party coalitions in Congress
    • Party unity is irrelevant in both countries, because votes are decided by individual MPs and Senators alone

15. Why might a proportional system be more proportional than first-past-the-post?

    • Seats are allocated in closer proportion to the votes each party receives, so smaller parties gain representation
    • Seats are allocated equally to the two largest parties in every constituency across the whole country
    • Seats are allocated by a national lottery among all candidates standing in each election across the country
    • Seats are allocated to the party that wins the most constituencies, which ensures proportionality of results across the nation

16. Which best explains the decline of two-party dominance in the UK?

    • Growing support for regional and minority parties such as the SNP and Liberal Democrats, with weaker loyalty to the main parties
    • A decision by the Monarch to appoint a third-party leader as Prime Minister after each general election
    • A ban on voting for the Conservatives and Labour in all constituencies since the year 2010
    • The abolition of first-past-the-post in 1998, which allowed smaller parties to win seats in the Commons

17. Which best explains why a US candidate might seek a party nomination?

    • Nomination gives access to the party's resources, networks and a place on the ballot in the general election
    • Nomination exempts a candidate from the Electoral College vote count in the state they represent
    • Nomination requires a candidate to resign from the Supreme Court before beginning a campaign
    • Nomination guarantees a seat in Congress regardless of the vote count in the general election

18. Which best describes the link between electoral systems and party numbers?

    • Plurality systems tend to produce coalitions, while proportional systems tend to produce single-party majorities
    • Electoral systems have no effect on party numbers, which are determined by the constitution alone
    • Plurality systems tend to favour two large parties, while proportional systems tend to produce more parties and coalitions
    • Proportional systems produce only one party in any parliament, to avoid conflict among the parties

19. Which is the best evaluation of the claim that the UK has ended two-party politics?

    • The claim is contested: the two main parties still dominate Westminster, though their combined share of the vote has fallen
    • The claim is clearly false, because the two main parties have reversed the trend in every election since 2010
    • The claim cannot be assessed, because party systems have no connection to electoral systems or voter behaviour
    • The claim is clearly true, because no major party has won a majority of seats in the Commons since 1945

20. What is the main reason independent candidates rarely win US federal elections?

    • Winner-takes-all rules, ballot access requirements and funding gaps make it hard to build a winning coalition
    • Independent candidates are excluded from receiving any votes, which is written into the Constitution
    • Federal law bars independent candidates from campaigning in any state during presidential election years and primary seasons
    • Independent candidates must be endorsed by the Supreme Court before they can appear on any ballot

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