Elections & Public Opinion

Their primary goal is to win elections.

• Interest Groups

• 527 Groups

• Political Parties

• PACs

Answer explanation

Political Parties are the organizations whose primary goal is to win elections, making them the correct choice in this context.

An increase in divisions across ideological and party lines...e.g., Democrats and Republicans unwilling to compromise.

• Elite theory

• Pluralism

• Party polarization

• Party platform

Answer explanation

Party polarization refers to the increase in divisions across ideological and party lines, such as Democrats and Republicans unwilling to compromise, making it the correct choice for this scenario.

What is the most common way for a person to be nominated as a candidate for president?

• petition

• self-announcement

• Primary

• Caucus

Answer explanation

The most common way for a person to be nominated as a candidate for president is through self-announcement.

This election determines the candidate for a political party

• Primary

• General Election

• Convention

• Nomination

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 'Primary' because it is the election where members of a political party choose the candidate to represent them in the general election.

A primary in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote.

• Closed Primary

• Open Primary

• Runoff Primary

• Blanket Primary

Answer explanation

A Closed Primary is a primary election in which only registered members of a particular political party can vote, making it the correct choice.

 An open primary is different from a closed primary because:

• only party members can vote in an open primary

• only non-party members can vote in an open primary

•  all qualified voters can vote in an open primary

• an open primary is a direct primary, but closed primary is not

Answer explanation

An open primary allows all qualified voters to participate, unlike a closed primary where only party members can vote.

In Illinois, how do political parties choose their candidates?

• Open Primary

• Closed Primary

• Exclusive Primary

• Caucus

Answer explanation

In Illinois, political parties choose their candidates through an Open Primary where voters can choose candidates regardless of party affiliation.

A meeting for selecting delegates to the national party convention in places such as a church, school, or auditorium.

• Factions

• PACs

• SuperPACs

• Caucus

Answer explanation

A meeting for selecting delegates to the national party convention in places such as a church, school, or auditorium is known as a Caucus.

A list of positions and programs that the party adopts at the national convention.  Each position is called a plank.

• Elite theory

• Pluralism

• Party polarization

• Party platform

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'Party platform' because it refers to a list of positions and programs adopted at the national convention, with each position called a plank.

Group of people chosen from each state to formally select the President

• Delegates

• Electoral College

• Caucus

• National Conventions

Answer explanation

The correct choice is Electoral College, which is a group of people chosen from each state to formally select the President.