Electoral Systems

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Date:

Instructions: Discover how different countries choose their leaders through various voting and electoral systems

1.
In the U.S. Electoral College, how many electoral votes are needed to win the presidency?
A
218
B
300
C
270
D
251
2.
What is 'proportional representation'?
A
Seats are allocated in proportion to votes received by each party
B
The candidate with the most money wins
C
Each district elects one winner
D
Only landowners can vote
3.
In a 'first-past-the-post' system, which candidate wins?
A
The one who reaches 50% of votes
B
The one approved by a committee
C
The one with the most votes, regardless of majority
D
The one who wins a runoff election
4.
Which country is famous for its compulsory voting system?
A
Australia
B
United States
C
Canada
D
United Kingdom
5.
A 'referendum' is a vote in which the entire electorate is asked to decide on what?
A
Tax rates for the next year
B
A specific proposal or issue
C
Judges for the supreme court
D
Who should be president
6.
What is 'gerrymandering'?
A
A method of counting votes
B
Banning certain candidates from running
C
A type of voter fraud
D
Manipulating electoral district boundaries for political advantage
7.
In a 'ranked-choice voting' system, voters do what?
A
Vote only for their preferred party
B
Vote on separate days for each candidate
C
Vote for multiple candidates by ranking them in order of preference
D
Vote for only one candidate
8.
The French presidential election uses which voting system?
A
Two-round runoff system
B
Electoral college
C
First-past-the-post
D
Proportional representation
9.
What is a 'caucus' in the context of U.S. elections?
A
A congressional committee
B
A type of ballot counting method
C
A local gathering where party members discuss and vote for candidates
D
A formal election day
10.
New Zealand was the first self-governing country to grant women the right to vote in national elections, in which year?
A
1910
B
1893
C
1882
D
1901
11.
The 'butterfly ballot' became infamous in U.S. politics due to confusion in which state during the 2000 election?
A
Michigan
B
California
C
Florida
D
Ohio
12.
What is a 'primary election' in the United States?
A
An election for local offices only
B
A midterm congressional election
C
A preliminary election to select a party's candidate
D
The general election for president
13.
Which European country uses a system called 'Mixed Member Proportional' representation?
A
Italy
B
Spain
C
Germany
D
France
14.
In India, the Election Commission is responsible for conducting elections. India's general elections are the world's largest democratic exercise with how many eligible voters (approximately)?
A
2 billion
B
400 million
C
Over 900 million
D
600 million
15.
What does the term 'suffrage' mean?
A
The right to free speech
B
The right to vote
C
The right to run for office
D
The right to a fair trial

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