fed government

How many votes represent the minimum majority necessary to win the Electoral College?

270

In order to win a U.S. presidential election, how many electoral votes are required?

270

States with only one congressional district receive how many total electors?

3

How many unique periods of party competition have existed since 1800?

7

Which president began the spoils system?

Andrew Jackson

Supermajorities are particularly likely to be required in which of the following?

The legislative process

The Electoral College is the process for electing whom?

The president

Why do proportional representation systems support greater numbers of political parties?

Because even smaller parties can win and maintain seats.

In the 1932 realignment, the _____________ party gained control of the government, due in large part to an unlikely coalition of voters including African Americans, Southern farmers and businesses.

Democratic

Since 1854, what have been the two major political parties?

Democrats and Republicans

Which of the following was NOT associated with the Pendleton Act?

Demotion based on party affiliation

Presidents, such as Theodore Roosevelt, have asserted additional powers, called _________ powers, through the "take care" clause of the Constitution.

Implied

Overall, how would you compare the awarding of federal jobs in 1850 and in 1950?

In 1850 jobs were awarded based on patronage, while in 1950 they were given based on merit.

What percent of federal bureaucrats is currently appointed by the president?

Less than one

Under plurality voting, what is required for victory?

One more vote than any of the alternatives

Which of the following could not constitute a supermajority?

One-third

What do congressional elections in most states require in order to determine a winner?

Plurality

________________ refers to a shift in party allegiance among the electorate that causes a new party to become the dominate party.

Realignment

The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 ushered in over three decades of ____________ party dominance.

Republican

The realignment of 1860 saw a shift in allegiance from the Democratic to Republican parties, while the realignment of 1932 saw a shift in allegiances from the ___________ to the _____________ party.

Republican; Democratic

Which of the following is NOT a step in the Electoral College process?

Supreme Court certifies election results

If no candidate receives a majority of the electoral vote, who selects the president and vice president?

The House of Representatives selects the president and the Senate selects the vice president.

What event prompted civil service reform?

The assassination of James Garfield

All of the following are broad types of power possessed by the president of the United States EXCEPT

limited powers

Receiving 51 percent of the vote counts as which of the following?

majority

_____ powers are granted to the president by the Congress and include the line-item veto.

statutory

All of the following are additional powers granted to the president by a variety of sources including the Supreme Court EXCEPT

executive veto.

_____________ powers are outlined in Article II of the United States Constitution and include the power of appointment and the power to pardon crimes.

expressed

What is the main reason for our persistent two-party system?

Winner-take-all electoral rules

Realignments are characterized by all of the following features EXCEPT

a short-lived change in partisan politics.