The State Of The Vote

How many votes does a candidate need from the Electoral College to win the U.S. Presidency?

• 300

• 200

• 270

• 250

Answer explanation

With 538 Electors, a candidate must receive at least 270 votes to be elected to the office of President or Vice President. Should no presidential candidate receive an absolute majority, the House of Representatives determines who the next President will be.

When is Election Day?

• The first Tuesday (after the first Monday) in November

• he first Monday in November

• Always November 11

• Always November 3

Answer explanation

In the United States, Election Day is the annual day set by law for the general elections of federal public officials. It is statutorily set by the Federal Government as "the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November" equaling "the first Tuesday after November 1".

Why is Election Day held in November?

• The U.S. originally based its voting cycle on the British calendar.

• Since America was originally filled with farmers, November was the best month for farmers and rural workers to be able to travel to the polls.

• It’s the month of George Washington’s birthday.

• The Federal Election Commission determined it was the best month for increasing voter turnout.

Answer explanation

A November election was convenient because the harvest would have been completed but the most severe winter weather, impeding transportation, would not yet have arrived, while the new election results also would roughly conform to a new year.

What is the catchy name for the 1993 law that made it possible for people to register to vote at the local motor vehicles office?

• The "Deals on Wheels" Law

• The "Go Vote" Law

• The "Drive and Vote" Law

• The "Motor Voter" Law

Answer explanation

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (also known as the “NVRA” or “motor voter law”) sets forth certain voter registration requirements with respect to elections for federal office. Section 5 of the NVRA requires that States offer voter registration opportunities at State motor vehicle agencies.

Which is the only state that does not require people to register to vote?

• North Dakota

• North Carolina

• California

• Montana

Answer explanation

Voter registration in the United States is required for voting in federal, state and local elections in the United States. The only exception is North Dakota, although cities in North Dakota may register voters for city elections.

Which state traditionally holds the first presidential primary?

• California

• Florida

• New Hampshire

• Iowa

Answer explanation

The Iowa caucuses are traditionally the first major electoral event of presidential primaries and caucuses. The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, the site of the first "midnight vote" in the New Hampshire primary.

In what year was the legal voting age lowered to 18 in the U.S.?

• 1971

• 1975

• 1965

• 1920

Answer explanation

On June 22, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed an extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that required the voting age to be 18 in all federal, state, and local elections.

Which U.S. President had NEVER voted in a presidential election when he took office in 1849?

• Millard Fillmore

• John Tyler

• Zachary Taylor

• James K Polk

Answer explanation

Mexican–American War General Zachary Taylor of Kentucky, an attractive candidate because of his successes on the battlefield, but who had never voted in an election himself, was openly courted by both the Democratic and Whig parties.

What percentage of U.S. voters cast a ballot in the 1996 presidential election?

• 71%

• 49%

• 31%

• ^was 4%

Answer explanation

Turnout was registered at 49.0%, the lowest for a presidential election since 1924.

By what percentage did Russia’s last national election exceed U.S. turnout for 1996?

• 5%

• 11%

• 21%

• 29%