WorksheetsUnit 5: Elections and Voting
Total questions: 38
Worksheet time: 19mins
What is the main purpose of voter registration?
To choose party leaders
To help polling offices track who can and did vote
To determine ballot initiatives
To set the date of the general election
Which statement best describes political parties in the U.S.?
All candidates must run as Democrats or Republicans
Most candidates are from the two largest parties, but some run with third parties
Candidates cannot run without party support
Third parties are illegal in national elections
Which option correctly distinguishes primaries from caucuses in the selection process?
Primaries involve small groups meeting; caucuses are statewide elections
Primaries are party elections where members vote; caucuses are small group meetings to choose whom to support
Caucuses happen after the general election; primaries happen before
Caucuses require at least 50% of the vote; primaries do not
During a presidential election cycle, what happens at party conventions?
Voters select the president directly
Parties officially nominate their candidate for president and submit names to state election officials
Candidates file to run as independents
States vote on amendments
Which statement about the general election is accurate?
Only party members may vote for their party’s candidate
Candidates stop campaigning once nominated
Voters may choose candidates from any party
General elections only occur in midterm years
Which offices are chosen during U.S. midterm elections?
President and Vice President
State governors only
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senators
City mayors and school board members
Which example best represents a state or local election?
Selecting the Speaker of the House
Voting for governor, city mayor, judges, or school board members
Electing the President
Choosing national party chairs
Why is voting considered important even though it is not required in the United States?
It is a legal obligation for all adults
It allows citizens to have a voice in their government and express preferences
It guarantees that your chosen candidate will win
It prevents taxes from being raised
Which statement best reflects the idea of equality in voting?
Votes are weighted differently based on education
All votes are equal regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, or education
Only homeowners’ votes count in local elections
Older citizens’ votes count more than younger citizens’ votes
Voter turnout in the U.S. is highest among seniors. What is one consequence for younger voters’ lower turnout?
Younger voters pay lower taxes
Issues important to young people may not be a top priority for politicians
Younger voters are not allowed to vote in national elections
Ballots exclude topics relevant to youth
Which statement best defines a "free and fair" election as described in the material?
An election where the ruling party wins by a large margin
An election conducted openly and impartially, allowing all citizens to cast votes that are accurately counted and equally valued
An election held only at the national level
An election with no observers present
According to researchers Sylvia Bishop and Anke Hoeffler, what does the "freeness" of an election primarily refer to?
Events on election day
The processes and rules leading up to the election
How quickly results are announced
The number of candidates running
Which standard is required before the election to ensure accessibility and transparency for eligible voters?
Secret ballot
Polling station management
Voter registration
Timely results
During the election, what practice ensures voters can cast ballots without interference or intimidation?
Impartial electoral administration
Secret ballot
Transparency
Peaceful transition of power
Which example of equal access is emphasized before the election?
Promptly releasing results
Providing all parties and candidates equal access to resources such as funding, media, and public space
Counting ballots only from urban areas
Limiting campaign information to government sources
Which two parties are the most powerful in the United States today?
Federalists and Democratic-Republicans
Democratic and Republican parties
Libertarian and Green parties
Whigs and Know-Nothings
Why were some Framers concerned about political parties while writing the U.S. Constitution?
They feared parties would divide the new government into harmful factions
They wanted parties to control the presidency
They believed parties would stop citizens from voting
They thought parties would make laws faster
Which statement best defines political parties?
Groups of citizens organized to win elections and influence government
Independent government agencies that enforce laws
Volunteer clubs that raise money for charities
Courts that interpret the Constitution
Historically, who did the early Democratic Party most closely represent?
Industrial factory owners
Small farmers and rural interests
Federal judges
Urban newspaper editors
What major issue led to the formation of the Republican Party in the 1850s?
Opposition to the expansion of slavery
Support for monarchy in America
Demand for immediate universal healthcare
Ending all federal taxes
Who was the first U.S. president elected from the Republican Party?
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Abraham Lincoln
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Which animal symbols did cartoonist Thomas Nast popularize for the major parties?
Elephant for Democrats; donkey for Republicans
Donkey for Democrats; elephant for Republicans
Bear for Democrats; eagle for Republicans
Lion for Democrats; tiger for Republicans
Public policy is best described as which of the following?
Actions taken by the government to solve problems and achieve goals
A list of campaign slogans used by candidates
Private decisions made by businesses
Opinions expressed in newspaper editorials
How do political parties shape public policy?
By organizing voters, influencing elected officials, and proposing solutions to public problems
By writing all laws without Congress
By appointing federal judges directly
By collecting taxes and distributing them to citizens
According to Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, which office requires a natural-born citizen who is at least 35 years old and has been a resident of the United States for 14 years?
Senator
Representative
President
Governor of Florida
What is the minimum age required to serve as a U.S. Senator under Article I, Section 3?
25
30
35
21
Which qualification is required to serve as a U.S. Representative under Article I, Section 2?
Be a natural-born citizen
Be at least 30 years old
Be a citizen of the U.S. for nine years
Be a citizen of the U.S. for seven years
Under Article I, Section 2, a U.S. Representative must be an inhabitant of which area when elected?
Any state
The nation
The district
The state in which he shall be chosen
Which statement about U.S. Senator qualifications is correct under Article I, Section 3?
Must be a citizen for seven years and at least 25 years old
Must be a citizen for nine years and at least 30 years old
Must be a natural-born citizen and at least 35 years old
Must be a resident for 14 years and at least 21 years old
According to Florida Constitution Section 15, what is the minimum age for a Florida legislator (senator or representative)?
18
21
25
30
Florida Constitution Section 15 requires each legislator to be which of the following?
A natural-born citizen
An elector and resident of the district from which elected
A U.S. resident for 14 years
A member of a political party
Florida Constitution Article IV, Section 5 sets a minimum age for the governor and cabinet members. What is it?
21
25
30
35
Article IV, Section 5 also requires the governor and cabinet members to have resided in Florida for how long prior to holding office?
Two years
Five years
Seven years
Fourteen years
Which statement best explains why the Framers created the Electoral College?
To allow Congress to directly choose the president
To check pure democracy in elections and balance popular sovereignty with state differences
To ensure the president is always chosen by the national popular vote
To make voting easier for people in the late 18th century
How is the number of electors in the Electoral College for each state determined?
It equals the number of U.S. senators only
It equals the number of members in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate
It equals the number of state governors
It changes each election based on turnout
Under Florida law described in the text, what happens when a presidential candidate wins Florida’s popular vote?
The candidate receives half of Florida’s electoral votes
Florida chooses electors from both parties to split votes
Whichever presidential candidate wins Florida’s popular vote wins Florida’s electoral votes
The state legislature decides how to allocate the votes
Before the 12th Amendment, what happened to the person who received the second-most electoral votes?
They became Speaker of the House
They became vice president
They joined the president’s cabinet
They faced a runoff election
What problem in the election of 1800 revealed the need for the 12th Amendment?
A lack of electors from new states
A tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr in electoral votes
The Supreme Court refused to certify results
No candidate campaigned nationally
