AP US Government : Elections

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP US Government

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Elections

Which of the following statements about the Electoral College is false?

Possible Answers:

The winner-take-all nature of the Electoral College forces candidates to focus on winning those states where polls indicate a close contest is taking place among voters.

The Electoral College vote usually, but not always, reflects the current popular majority vote.

The less populated states are overrepresented due to a Constitutional provision granting each state two electors (regardless of population).

If no candidate receives an Electoral College majority, the election is thrown to the Supreme Court for the final decision.

Correct answer:

If no candidate receives an Electoral College majority, the election is thrown to the Supreme Court for the final decision.

Explanation:

If no candidate receives a majority of Electoral College votes, then the election decision is placed in the hands of the members of the House of Representatives. The House members are charged with choosing the next president from among the top three electoral vote winners, with each state delegation possessing one combined vote amongst all their respective members. This is a very rare occurrence– the last election to be decided by the House was in 1824, between Democratic-Republicans John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson.

Example Question #12 : Elections

America has always had free and open elections in which everyone could vote.

Possible Answers:

False, universal suffrage was not passed in the US until the 1950s

False, for much of US history women and less than half of the free adult male population could vote

True, for most of US history universal suffrage has been in place

None of these

Correct answer:

False, for much of US history women and less than half of the free adult male population could vote

Explanation:

The answer is “false.” Out of everyone in the entire US at the time immediately after the Revolution, only the males could vote. Out of the males, only free white males could vote. Out of free white males, only those who weren’t Catholic or Jewish, and who had property could vote. Thus, in the beginning, only about half of the free adult male population was eligible to vote.

Example Question #301 : Ap Us Government

______________ are expenditures on behalf of candidates.
     

Possible Answers:

Independent expenditures

Coordinated expenditures

Incumbent expenditures

  None of these

Correct answer:

Coordinated expenditures

Explanation:

Coordinated expenditures is the correct answer. Coordinated expenditures, much like the name might suggest, are expenditures on behalf of—in coordination with—a candidate and her campaign. A campaign ad, for example, is a coordinated expenditure—it’s generally a ‘true’ campaign ad if it ends with “I’m XXXXX and I approve this message” or any other sort of indication that the ad was specifically approved by the candidate.

Example Question #302 : Ap Us Government

_____________ are expenditures completely separate from the candidate’s campaign.

Possible Answers:

None of these

Incumbent expenditures

Coordinated expenditures

Independent expenditures

Correct answer:

Independent expenditures

Explanation:

Independent expenditures is the correct answer. Similar in name, but different in substance, to coordinated expenditures, independent expenditures are expenditures that are completely separated from a campaign. Thus, a smear ad from a PAC, for example, is not a coordinated expenditure: it’s an independent expenditure. Do you see why?

Example Question #303 : Ap Us Government

The period of time from Election Day to the date new legislators are sworn into office is called the “lame duck” period. During the “lame duck” period, which of the following can occur?

Possible Answers:

Newly elected legislators can propose and vote on laws

The Supreme Court passes the laws

The President issues Executive Orders which become law automatically without review by the state legislatures

Retiring and defeated legislators may propose and vote on laws

No laws are passed

Correct answer:

Retiring and defeated legislators may propose and vote on laws

Explanation:

The lame duck period does not mean that the government stops functioning until the newly elected officials are sworn into office. For the Congress, this means that the defeated or retiring Congressmen and Senators still have the opportunity to propose and vote on laws. The newly elected officials must be sworn into office before they can take any legislative action. The President may issue Executive Orders but they are not subject to the approval of state legislatures. The Supreme Court does not make laws rather they rule on the Constitutionality of the law.

Example Question #304 : Ap Us Government

Which constitutional amendment gave 18-year-olds the right to vote?

Possible Answers:

The 26th amendment

The 24th Amendment

The 25th amendment

The 22nd amendment

The 23rd amendment

Correct answer:

The 26th amendment

Explanation:

During the 1960s and student activism in response to the Vietnam War, a movement arose that wanted the voting age lowered to 18 from 21. By 1971, both houses of congress ratified the 26th Amendment and it was subsequently ratified by the states.

Example Question #305 : Ap Us Government

In the 1992 elections, the membership of Congress was dramatically altered by an increase in the number of __________.

Possible Answers:

moderate Republicans

liberal Republicans

women and minorities

independents and environmentalists

conservative Democrats

Correct answer:

women and minorities

Explanation:

In the 1992 Presidential elections, Bill Clinton defeated incumbent Republican President George Bush. The election is considered a partial realignment election because the West coast and upper Midwest both became reliable Democratic states in elections from this point forward. The primary consequence to Congress membership was the increase of representatives who were either minorities or women.

Example Question #1 : Federal Election Proceedings

Which of these concerns primarily determines the person a Presidential candidate chooses as his Vice-Presidential running mate?

Possible Answers:

choosing a candidate devoted to the party and who is exceedingly loyal

appealing to young people

appealing to the staunchest supporters of the Presidential candidate’s party base

finding an individual who has a great deal of experience in Congress

balancing the ticket and appealing to a wider spectrum of voters

Correct answer:

balancing the ticket and appealing to a wider spectrum of voters

Explanation:

When Presidential candidates select a running-mate, they are highly likely to emphasize picking someone who balances the ticket and will appeal to a wider spectrum of voters. So, a highly liberal Democratic candidate might pick a running-mate who is extremely well-regarded by Conservatives and falls close to the middle of the political spectrum. They also may be often be seen as more superficial choices. Recent classic examples of superficial running-mate choices include President Obama and Joe Biden (young and black; old and white) and John McCain and Sarah Palin (old and male; young and female).

Example Question #306 : Ap Us Government

The number of members of the Electoral College is determined by

Possible Answers:

the number of members of Congress plus three electors representing the District of Columbia.

the full population of the United States.

the number of members of Congress.

previous presidential election results.

an equal number of electors for each state.

Correct answer:

the number of members of Congress plus three electors representing the District of Columbia.

Explanation:

The Electoral College currently has 538 members, one for each member of Congress (Senators and Representatives), as well as three electors representing the District of Columbia. The Electoral College is not specifically mentioned in the Constitution, but instead the Constitution simply mentions that the President will be chosen by electors "apportioned by State legislatures." However, the Electoral College has been largely present in its present form since the eighteenth century, with the three DC electors being added by the Twenty Third Amendment (1961).

Example Question #307 : Ap Us Government

The Australian Ballot was primarily established to ____________.

Possible Answers:

simplify the voting process by highlighting with which party a candidate was affiliated

increase the number of women voting

prevent African Americans in the South from voting during the Reconstruction Era

encourage a higher political turnout among the poor and working class

reduce the impact of bribery and intimidation by ensuring voter privacy

Correct answer:

reduce the impact of bribery and intimidation by ensuring voter privacy

Explanation:

The Australian Ballot, also called the Secret Ballot and the Massachusetts Ballot, was introduced in the last decade of the nineteenth century. The primary intention of the Australian Ballot was to ensure voter privacy by making the voter choices secret. This was done to reduce the impact of bribery and intimidation that had so affected the election of 1884.

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