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

The 20 questions

1. What is the primary purpose of a US presidential primary election?

   • Drafting party manifestos
   • Appointing cabinet ministers
   • Electing the president
   • Selecting party nominees

2. What type of gathering is used to select delegates in states like Iowa?

   • A referendum
   • A caucus
   • A primary
   • A recall vote

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

   • 270
   • 300
   • 218
   • 538

4. What term describes voting for different parties in the same election?

   • Tactical voting
   • Split-ticket voting
   • Straight-ticket voting
   • Abstention

5. What mechanism allows voters to remove an elected official before their term ends?

   • An initiative
   • A recall
   • A referendum
   • An impeachment

6. What allows US citizens to propose a new state law via petition?

   • A primary
   • A caucus
   • An initiative
   • An executive order

7. What is it called when an eligible citizen chooses not to vote?

   • Mandatory turnout
   • Abstention
   • Voter suppression
   • Split-ticket voting

8. How are electoral votes allocated in most US states?

   • Congressional district split
   • Winner-takes-all
   • Proportional representation
   • Ranked-choice voting

9. A state has 16 electoral votes and uses winner-takes-all. How many does the popular vote winner get?

   • 10
   • All 16
   • 8
   • 9

10. What factor best explains the structural advantage of sitting members of Congress?

    • Incumbency advantage
    • Primary challenges
    • Partisan gerrymandering
    • Federal funding limits

11. What is the primary argument in favour of campaign finance spending limits?

    • Encouraging third parties
    • Strengthening party leaders
    • Increasing voter turnout
    • Reducing donor influence

12. Who initiates a referendum compared to a citizen initiative?

    • The Supreme Court
    • Party leaders
    • The government
    • Foreign lobbyists

13. What do US political scientists call elections like 1932 that reshape voter coalitions?

    • Recall elections
    • Secondary elections
    • Realigning elections
    • Midterm elections

14. Where do presidential candidates concentrate most campaign visits due to the Electoral College?

    • Swing states
    • Territories
    • Safe states
    • Rural districts

15. What term describes the executive and legislature being controlled by different parties?

    • Federalism
    • Unified government
    • Gridlock
    • Divided government

16. Which major institutional factor is frequently cited for high voter abstention in US elections?

    • Weekend voting dates
    • Voter registration laws
    • Mandatory voting fines
    • Proportional representation

17. What primary feature distinguishes a US party caucus from a primary election?

    • Postal voting only
    • Mandatory state funding
    • In-person debate
    • Secret ballot voting

18. What is a major limitation of campaign spending in deciding US election outcomes?

    • Banned by federal law
    • Always determines the winner
    • Restricted to local elections
    • Does not guarantee victory

19. What is a major criticism of direct democracy initiatives at the US state level?

    • Influenced by wealthy lobbies
    • Mandated by federal courts
    • Eliminates state governors
    • Requires unanimous voting

20. How is the popular vote defined in a US presidential election?

    • Electoral College electors
    • Total nationwide citizen votes
    • State legislature ballots
    • Congressional vote total

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