Parties and Elections Quiz

California has 53 members of the US House of Representatives and two Senators. In the 2020 presidential election, Biden carried 63.5% of the vote in California, and Trump carried 34.3% of the vote in that state. How many Democratic electors were elected in California? (Enter a number.)

55

In the 2020 elections, which groups had higher levels of voter turnout? A: Better educated people had higher turnout rates than less well educated people. B: Latinos had higher turnout rates than African-Americans. C: Men had higher turnout rates than women. D: Younger people had higher turnout rates than older people.

A: Better educated people had higher turnout rates than less well educated people.

How do American elections differ from those in most other democracies? (Select all correct answers.) A: Elections in the US are more numerous and frequent. B: Most US elections are decided by plurality vote. C: Voter turnout in the US is higher than in most other democracies. D: Elections in the US are run by the national government, rather than by states or provinces.

A: Elections in the US are more numerous and frequent. B: Most US elections are decided by plurality vote.

According to Greenberg and Page, the current party era is A: best characterized as polarization. B: dealignment, as neither major party is clearly dominant. C: the remnant of the New Deal Party system. D: bipartisan.

A: best characterized as polarization.

Unlike parties in most other democracies, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party have national committees with substantial power. A: have a network organization. B: are party-organization centered. C: have similar positions on most domestic policies. D: are hierachically structured.

A: have a network organization

If the United States were to adopt a proportional representation system (similar to the Netherlands or Israel), which of the following parties would probably benefit the most? A: None of these parties would be greatly advantaged under a PR system. B: Republican Party C: Libertarian Party D: Democratic Party

C: Libertarian Party

In Why Parties? A Second Look, John Aldrich argues that ___ are the first and foremost important actors in the political party. A: campaign donors. B: intense party demanders, including interest groups, social movements, and citizen activists. C: voters. D: ambitious office seekers and officeholders

D: ambitious office seekers and officeholders

The Libertarian Party and the Green Party are examples of A: protest parties. B: major parties. C: splinter parties. D: ideological parties.

D: ideological parties

Soft money is A: often coordinated with hard money expenditures. B: can only be used in federal elections, and cannot be used in state elections. C: heavily regulated. D: money spent by organizations not connected to the party or campaign.

D: money spent by organizations not connected to the party or campaign.

The invisible primary is A: In Florida. B: in New Hampshire. C: controlled by super-delegates. D: the process in which donors throw their support behind a candidate before any votes have been cast.

D: the process in which donors throw their support behind a candidate before any votes have been cast.

The process by which one party supplants another as the dominant party in a two-party system is __. (one word)

Realignment