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Worksheets

Political Parties and Elections 2020

Total questions: 57

Worksheet time: 2hrs 54mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What are the two major political parties?

a)

Federalists and Anti-federalists

b)

Democrats and Libertarians

c)

Democrats and Republicans

d)

Libertarians and Republicans

2.

How many electoral votes are there in the U.S.?

a)

270

b)

583

c)

538

d)

268

3.

How many electoral votes does a presidential candidate need to win the election?

a)

278

b)

274

c)

270

d)

266

4.

True or false. The president and vice president are elected by the popular vote.

a)

true

b)

false

5.

What can a third party do to a major election?

a)

take away votes from main candidates

b)

give votes to the other party

c)

allow more votes for themselves

d)

none of the above

6.

What is the purpose of a primary?

a)

to elect the president

b)

to determine the best candidate for a political party

c)

to elect a new senator

d)

to elect a governor

7.

Liberals are often associated with what political party?

a)

Liberatarian

b)

Democratic

c)

Republican

d)

Green Party

8.

Conservatives are often associated with what political party?

a)

Republican

b)

Democratic

c)

Green Party

d)

Liberatarian

9.

What is a closed primary?

a)

A primary election that closes after a certain time

b)

A primary election where both parties can vote on the primary candidate

c)

A primary election where only members of that specific party can vote on the primary candidate

d)

A primary election where only members of that specific party and Independents can vote on the primary candidate.

10.

What vote determines the presidency?

a)

Popular Vote

b)

America's Poll

c)

Electoral Vote

d)

Popular Electoral

11.

Why is voting important?

a)

It's not important

b)

It lets your voice be heard by voting for what you believe

c)

It doesn't matter

d)

Go back to the only option that makes sense

12.

What type of political system do we have in the United States?

a)

Two-party system

b)

Multi-party system

c)

Third-party system

d)

There is no political system

13.

Before your parents vote for Virginia's governor, what did they have to do?

a)

Go to their polling place

b)

Sign a petition

c)

Register

d)

Pay their taxes

14.

When the Republican party selected Barbara Comstock to run for Congress, what function are they fulfilling?

a)

Help candidate win

b)

Recruit and nominate candidates

c)

Educate the electorate

d)

Monitor officholders

15.

If your parents got phone calls and postcards about the Democratic candidate Jennifer Wexton before the elections, what function was the Democratic party fulfilling?

a)

Helping candidate win

b)

Monitoring officeholders

c)

Recruiting candidate

d)

Educating the electorate

16.
Both Republicans and Democrats want to win votes from what part of the political spectrum?
a)
Left
b)
Center
c)
Right
17.

The Libertarian and Tea Parties are examples of a ...

a)

Wasted vote

b)

Third party

c)

Civic responsibility

d)

Civic duty

18.

How many days do you have to register before your eligible to vote in elections?

a)

10

b)

15

c)

30

d)

21

19.

If someone says "you are apathetic" what do they mean?

a)

You are awesome.

b)

You are lazy.

c)

You are not interested.

d)

You have a cold.

20.

A person who graduated from college is more likely to vote than a person who did not.

a)

False

b)

True

21.
An 18 year old high school graduate is more likely to vote than a 65 year old retiree. 
a)
True 
b)
False
22.
What qualifications do you need to register to vote in Virginia?
a)
Legal alien, 21 years old, live in VA
b)
US citizen, 21 years old, live in any state
c)
US citizen, 18 years old, live in VA
d)
US citizen, 18 years old, live in any state
23.

How could you register to vote?

a)

Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

b)

Online

c)

In person at the registrar's office

d)

All of the above

24.
The primary role of a third party is to…
a)
Keep the best candidate from winning 
b)
Inform the public about shortcoming of other parties 
c)
Highlight an candidate 
d)
Introduce ideas or push or an issue 
25.

Which is NOT a similarity between political parties?

a)

Reflect liberal and conservative views

b)

Organize to win elections

c)

Influence public policies

d)

support issues from the opposing party

26.

All of the following are characteristics of third parties EXCEPT

a)

Revolve around a political personality

b)

Typically win elections

c)

Often takes votes away from the two main parties

d)

Introduce new ideas and/or press for a particular issue

27.

Republicans ask Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, a Republican, to resign after he was accused of blackmail. Which function does the political party fulfill?

a)

recruiting and nominating candidates

b)

helping candidates win

c)

monitoring actions of officeholders

d)

educating the voters about issues

28.

What main function do third parties have?

a)

Introduce new ideas

b)

Recruit and nominate candidates

c)

Educate the electorate

d)

Help candidates win

29.

All of the following are qualifications to register to vote in Virginia EXCEPT

a)

U.S. citizen

b)

18 years old by day of general election

c)

Licensed driver

d)

A resident of Virginia and precinct

e)

Register at least 21 days before the general election

30.

Voting is a basic ___________ of citizenship. (Because it is not required)

a)

Duty

b)

Right

c)

Responsibility

31.

Which of the following is NOT a factor in predicting which citizens will vote?

a)

Gender

b)

Education

c)

Income

d)

Age

32.

Which of the following is a reason why citizens fail to vote?

a)

Lack of transportation

b)

Do not know where to go to vote

c)

Lack of interest, apathetic

d)

Do not have a driver's license

33.

ALL political parties are similar in that,

a)

they all appeal to the political center

b)

reflect both liberal and conservative viewpoints

c)

are organized to win elections

d)

all of the answers are correct

34.
In the United States elections occur in what month?
a)
September
b)
October
c)
November
d)
January
35.
The _______________ election allows voters to choose the candidate from each party who will run for
office in the later ______________ election.
a)
Primary, General
b)
Caucus, Open
c)
Primary, Closed 
d)
Closed, Runoff
36.

The media plays a very important role in the political process of elections. They help by:

a)

selecting candidates that will be popular with voters

b)

emphasizing selected issues

c)

broadcasting their preferred point of view

d)

only supporting one candidate over another

37.
Political parties play a key role in the government, and in helping their candidate win.  They also:
a)
educate the electorate
b)
provide non-biased propaganda
c)
pay money for your vote
d)
pay money for your vote
38.

All of the following can be considered functions of political parties except:

a)

nominating candidates

b)

monitoring the actions of officeholders

c)

helping candidates win

d)

amending the Constitution

39.
All of the following are examples of mass media EXCEPT:
a)
National News
b)
Newspaper like Washington Post
c)
Magazine like Time Magazine
d)
School Newspaper
40.
The main purpose of political parties are to control government by
a)
Controlling your lives
b)
winning elections and holding office
c)
making the other party look bad
d)
Hogging the media's attention
41.
Who elects the candidates to run for each party?
a)
The president
b)
Congress
c)
A popular vote of the American people
d)
The political parties
42.
How old do you have to be vote?
a)
19
b)
18
c)
20
d)
21
43.

How does the National Government determine how many electoral college votes each state gets?

a)

number of senators it has

b)

number of representatives it has

c)

by size of the state

d)

the number of districts in each state plus the senators

44.

What is the purpose of the Electoral College?

a)

Elect school board members.

b)

Provide opportunities for kids to attend school.

c)

Elect the President and the Vice President of the United States.

d)

Select a baseball team to play in the College World Series.

45.
The U.S. state worth the most amount of Electoral votes. 
a)
Florida
b)
Texas
c)
California
d)
Ohio
46.
The bigger the ___________________ of a state the more electoral votes a state receives.
a)
trees
b)
land
c)
population
d)
ceiling fans
47.
If a state has 25 in the House of Representatives based on their population, how many Electoral Votes would that state have in a Presidential Election?
a)
27
b)
25
c)
23
d)
35
48.
Even though Washington, D.C. is not a state, it has three electoral votes.
a)
True
b)
False
49.
If a tie occurs in the Electoral College, this part of Congress elects the President.
a)
Senate
b)
House of Representatives
c)
Pentagon
d)
Ohio
50.
The color used to represent the Democratic candidate.
a)
red
b)
purple
c)
pink
d)
blue
51.

Candidates compete for their party's nomination during the ____________________ election

a)

General

b)

Presidential

c)

Primary

d)

Nomination

52.
Who actually casts the official votes for the president?
a)
President
b)
Congressmen
c)
people
d)
electors
53.
The winner-take-all system in the Electoral College leads to
a)
Candidates targeting densely populated states for campaigning
b)
An equal number of electors from each state.
c)
Electors from two or more parties in the same state.
d)
Targeting less populated states for campaigning.
54.
"Winner take all" means that all of a state's electoral votes go to the candidate who had the majority of votes in that state.
a)
True
b)
False
55.
What are the only 2 states to decide electoral college votes based upon congressional districts and majority voting?
a)
California & Texas
b)
Missouri & Kansas
c)
New York & Arizona
d)
Nebraska & Maine
56.
Why must candidates pay attention to small states?
a)
In a close race, its nice to pay attention to small states.
b)
Candidates don't want to be biased.
c)
In a close race, the electoral votes of small states matter.
d)
Small states have the most electoral votes.
57.

In order to vote in U.S. elections, you must be 18 years old, a resident of the state and Precinct you’re voting in, a citizen of the U.S., and what?

a)

A citizen in good standing

b)

Current on your taxes

c)

Registered to vote

d)

A registered member of a political party