AP Government
EXAM: Parties & Elections
Mr. Messinger
INSTRUCTIONS: Mark all answers on your Scantron. Do not write on the test.
Good luck!!
1. All of the following are true of the Electoral
College system EXCEPT:
a) It is possible to win the electoral vote
but lose the popular vote
b) A majority of electors is required to
win
c) Electors are awarded proportionally
in a majority of states
d) Candidates have historically focused
on large states
e) Many candidates today focus on
‘swing states,’ or states where the
race between the candidates is close.
2. Which of the following statements about
the U.S. political party system is true?
a) It has remained largely stable,
with the Democratic and
Republican parties dominating
since the founding of the country
b) It has experienced broad changes,
with parties rising and declining
over the years
c) It all but ceased to exist by the
1980s
d) It has grown steadily stronger as
the power of the presidency has
grown stronger
e) It has rarely been strong and has
never truly mobilized voters
3. Many Founding Fathers saw political
parties as
a) an important aspect of democracy
b) effective only in raising money
for campaigns
c) appropriate for a direct
democracy but not a republic
d) a means of communicating public
opinion to the president
e) factions motivated by ambition
and self-interest
4. Which of the following requires citizens to
have a direct, government sponsored
opportunity to register to vote?
a) Political Efficacy
b) Civic Duty
c) Referendum
d) Initiative
e) Motor Voter Law
5. Which of the following statements about the
two-party system is correct?
a) Most European countries have such a
system
b) The U.S. is one of the few countries
with such a system
c) It exists in the United States because
of the absence of local party
organization
d) It has existed in the U.S. only since
the early 1900s
e) It has always been on the verge of
collapse
6. Why has the two-party system in the U.S.
most likely persisted for so long?
a) Because a minor party is unlikely to
gather enough public support to elect
its presidential candidate
b) Because a two-party system
discourages patronage and reduces
voter interest in joining a minor party
c) Because of the large number of
divisive issues that have persisted in
the United States since its founding
d) Because a two-party system requires
each party to be as narrowly based as
possible, leaving little room for
minor parties
e) Because the two-party system forces
third parties to subject themselves to
media scrutiny
7. The most dramatic example of the winnertake-all principle in the U.S. electoral system
is the
a) ideal of pluralism
b) municipal elections in a small New
England town
c) partisan judicial elections
d) two-party system
e) electoral college
8. The most significant fact about the 1960
presidential election (Kennedy vs. Nixon)
was that
a) the primaries pitted two branches of
the Democratic Party against each
other.
b) an incumbent vice president lost his
bid for the presidency.
c) television played a role in
determining the outcome of the
election.
d) voters elected the first Roman
Catholic president.
e) in an attempt to balance the ticket,
the Democrats chose a Southerner as
the vice presidential nominee.
9. Of the following voters, which is the least
likely to vote?
a) A Northerner
b) A college graduate
c) A regular attendee at religious
services
d) A person with a high sense of civic
duty
e) A person who lives in a rural area
10. All of the following help to explain the
decline in voter turnout EXCEPT
a) the increasingly difficult process
involved in registering to vote.
b) a decline in the sense of political
efficacy.
c) a decline in political parties.
d) lack of interest.
e) a decline in the belief that
government is responsive to the
concerns of citizens
11. James Madison believed that the latent
causes of factions were rooted in
a) the two-party system
b) capitalist society
c) religious conflict
d) an improperly designed constitution
e) the nature of man
12. Even though minor parties have little
success in national elections, they have
played an important role in many elections
by
a) forcing runoffs that sharpened the
policy positions of the two major
parties
b) encouraging dissident factions to
remain in the Democratic or
Republican party
c) removing barriers in state election
laws
d) influencing the public policy
positions of the two major parties
e) making the cost of running for
president much higher
13. If party identification alone automatically
determined election outcomes, which party
would win the 2012 presidential election?
a) Republican
b) Democrat
c) Socialist
d) Green
e) Progressive
14. All of the following are provisions of
campaign law EXCEPT
a) the unregulated use of soft money by
state and local parties.
b) a $2,400 limit on individual
contributions to a candidate for a
primary or general election.
c) federal matching funds for
candidates in federal elections who
meet certain requirements.
d) full disclosure of all money raised by
presidential candidates.
e) spending limits by state for all
candidates who accept government
funding.
15. All of the following are true of voter
behavior EXCEPT that
a) the higher the level of education, the
more likely one is to vote.
b) women statistically tend to be more
liberal than men.
c) the less political power a group has,
the more likely it is to be liberal.
d) parental affiliation is the greatest
predictor of a person’s own party
identification.
e) the younger the voter, the more likely
he or she is to be conservative.
16. Modern televised debates between
presidential and vice-presidential candidates
during the general election have relatively
little effect on voters’ decisions because the
debates
a) only reach a narrow audience of
voters.
b) occur late in the election process
when most voters have decided for
whom to vote.
c) are stage-managed by the television
networks.
d) fail to provide adequate time for the
candidates to discuss their positions
on issues
e) unfairly highlight candidates’
physical qualities rather than their
policies.
17. A modern political fact of life that political
parties need to recognize in order to be
successful at the polls is that
a) campaign finance reform is a major
issue with voters.
b) older voters are conservative and the
population is aging.
c) the gender gap elected Bill Clinton in
1996.
d) most voters hold middle-of-the-road
views on most issues.
e) touting their accomplishments is the
best way to win.
18. Incumbent members of the Senate tend to
win reelection to Congress because
I. often their districts have been
drawn to support the
incumbent’s party.
II. voters are more familiar with
incumbents than with the
challengers.
III. the staff of incumbents
solve problems for
constituents and build up
good will for their bosses
that translate into support
back home at election time.
IV. incumbents are able to raise
more campaign money than
challengers
a) I and II
b) III and IV
c) I, II, and III
d) II, III, and IV
e) I, II, III, and IV
19. Primaries are governed by
I. party rules.
II. state law.
III. federal law.
a) I only
b) II only
c) III only
d) I and II
e) I, II, and III
20. The Motor Voter Act includes all of the
following provisions EXCEPT
a) people who are eligible to vote can
register by checking off a box when
applying for or renewing their
driver’s license.
b) voter registration forms must by
available in public assistance offices
and in military recruitment centers.
c) the Act has dramatically increased
voter turnout.
d) voter registration may also be done
by mail.
e) periodically, states must send
questionnaires to all registered voters
in order to update voting people who
have died and by correcting changes
of addresses.
21. In the past four decades, the hold of the
major political parties on the electorate was
weakened by all of the following, EXCEPT:
a) crossover voting in primaries.
b) the substitution of direct primaries
and caucuses for conventions of the
party elite.
c) split-ticket voting in general
elections.
d) news media coverage of campaigns.
e) the rise of political interest groups.
22. When selecting a vice-presidential
candidate, a presidential nominee is usually
concerned primarily with choosing a
running mate who
a) has significant personal wealth
b) adds balance and appeal to the
national tickets
c) comes from the same ideological
wing of the party as the President
d) can serve as the most important
domestic policy advisor to the
President
e) can effectively preside over the
Senate
23. Modern party platforms are determined by
a) state parties.
b) local parties.
c) presidential candidates.
d) party bosses.
e) participants at the party’s national
convention
24. Criticisms of the election process typically
include all of the following, EXCEPT:
a) Disproportionate attention goes to
the early primaries
b) Money plays too large of a role
c) Participation in the primaries is low
and not representative of the entire
electorate
d) Disproportionate attention goes to
the early caucuses
e) The system allows little room for
media involvement
25. Which of the following is a significant trend
in the presidential nominating process over
the past three decades?
a) Replacement of national party
conventions by national primaries for
each party
b) Increasing importance of presidential
primaries rather than state
conventions
c) A sharply declining role for political
action committees (PACs)
d) Decreasing cost of campaigns
e) Increasing control by political party
leaders over outcomes
26. Which of the following is the most
important influence on the choice made by
voters in presidential elections?
a) Partisan identification
b) Party platform adopted at the
national convention
c) Vice-presidential running mate
d) Endorsement by political incumbents
e) Appeal of the candidates’ spouses
27. An election involving more than two
candidates in which the person who receives
the most votes is the winner is called
a) a majority election
b) a proportional election
c) a plurality election
d) a simple election
e) an indirect election
28. Which of the following campaign financing
reforms has been adopted?
a) Increasing the amount of PAC
contributions that a candidate can
accept
b) Abolishing soft money contributions
c) Decreasing government subsidies to
congressional campaigns
d) Allowing more lobbyist gifts to
candidates
e) Eliminating federal matching funds
29. The advantages of incumbency in
congressional elections include which of the
following?
I. Incumbents receive more
campaign contributions than
do challengers
II. Incumbents are able to
provide important services
for individual voters
III. The government provides
campaign funds for
incumbents
IV. The President usually
endorses incumbents for
reelection
V. Most American voters
believe Congress does a
good job
a) I and II only
b) III and IV only
c) I, IV, and V only
d) II, III, and V only
e) III, IV, and V only
30. Which of the following is characteristic of
the Electoral College?
a) It mandates presidential electors to
vote for the candidate to whom they
are pledged
b) It establishes a power base for thirdparty candidates
c) It has resulted in frequent occasions
when a candidate wins the electoral
vote despite losing the popular vote
d) It became part of the Constitution to
give more power to the voters
e) It gives the House of Representatives
the power to determine who will be
president if no candidate gets a
majority of the electoral votes
31. The largest amount of political coverage in
newspapers during presidential campaigns is
devoted to
a) day-to-day campaign activities
b) the platforms of the major parties
c) candidates’ policy stands on
domestic issues
d) candidates’ stands on foreign policy
issues
e) candidates’ experience and
qualifications
32. A state has 11 electoral votes. In a
presidential election, the Democratic
candidate receives 48 percent of that state’s
popular vote, the Republican candidate
receives 40 percent of the vote, and an
independent candidate receives 12 percent
of the vote. If the state is similar to most
other states, how will the electoral votes
most likely be allocated?
a) The Democratic candidate will
receive 5 electoral votes, the
Republican will receive 4, and the
independent will receive 2.
b) The Democratic candidate will
receive 6 electoral votes and the
Republican will receive 5.
c) The Democratic candidate will
receive all 11 votes.
d) The votes will not be allotted until
there has been a runoff election
between the Democratic and
Republican candidates.
e) The House of Representatives will
determine the allocation of the
electoral votes.
33. Which of the following is a result of the
electoral college system?
a) The winner of the presidency often
lacks a majority of the popular vote
b) Candidates focus on one-party states
in which they can win most of the
electoral votes
c) The House of Representatives
frequently chooses the President
from the top three candidates
d) Candidates focus on the states with
the largest populations
e) Campaign spending increases
because candidates emphasize
television advertising
34. Which of the following is the most accurate
statement about political parties in the
United States?
a) Parties increasingly identify
themselves with coherent ideologies
to attract large blocs of voters
b) The percentage of voters identifying
themselves as either Democrats or
Republicans has been declining since
the 1970s
c) National party organizations are
generally the strongest party
organizations
d) It is increasingly difficult for third
parties to gain more than two percent
of the popular vote
e) Most candidates prefer to run as
independents rather than as
Democrats or Republicans
35. When 18 to 21 year olds received the right
to vote in 1971, in the 1972 national
elections they did which of the following?
a) Voted overwhelmingly for
Republican candidates
b) Voted overwhelmingly for
Democratic candidates
c) Voted overwhelmingly for radical
candidates
d) Turned out at a lower rate than the
rest of the electorate
e) Turned out at the same rate as the
rest of the electorate
36. Considering all elections at all levels of
government, which of the following best
describes electoral behavior in the United
States?
a) Primary elections tend to elicit a
higher voter turnout than do general
elections
b) The majority of the electorate does
not vote in most elections
c) Voter turnout plays an insignificant
role in election outcomes
d) Adult citizens under the age of 30
tend to have the highest rate of voter
turnout
e) Voters with strong party
identification vote less regularly than
do independents
37. Which of the following statements best
describes the organization of the two major
political parties in the United States?
a) Parties have no organization except
at the national level
b) Parties are centrally organized to
provide a smooth transition from one
national campaign to the next
c) Parties are organized much like a
large corporation, in that decisions
flow from national to state and local
levels
d) Local and state parties have virtually
no power in the party system
e) Separate and largely independent
party organizations exist at national,
state, and local levels
38. Which of the following best explains why
delegates to both the Republican and
Democratic Conventions in 1996 were
much more likely to have college and
postgraduate degrees than was the rest of
the voting population?
a) College education increases the
likelihood of holding liberal political
positions
b) College education increases the
likelihood of holding conservative
political positions
c) Political activism increases with
education levels
d) Education allows people to have
more time to attend conventions
e) Some states require delegates to hold
college degrees
39. A major difference between the Iowa caucus
and the New Hampshire primary is
a) greater turnout of voters in the Iowa
caucus
b) more loyal party regulars vote in
New Hampshire
c) exit polls are more accurate in caucus
votes
d) candidates must spend more money
on gaining caucus votes
e) New Hampshire voters use a secret
ballot to vote
40. The franking privilege refers to the
a) Federal Reserve Board’s control over
interest rates
b) practice of permitting senators to
preview lists of judicial nominees
c) practice whereby legislators with the
most seniority select the committees
on which they want to serve
d) right of the chair to control the
schedule of his or her congressional
committee
e) right of members of Congress to send
mail to their constituents at the
government’s expense
41. Which of the following took place after
presidential candidates Truman in 1948,
Nixon in 1968, and Clinton in 1992 won
only pluralities of the popular vote?
a) The election was formally decided in
the House of Representatives
b) The election was formally decided in
the Senate
c) The winning candidate took office
after receiving less than 50% of the
popular votes cast
d) The electoral college votes cast by
independents were critical in
determining the winner
e) The results of the popular vote
necessitated a runoff
42. Which of the following is NOT a core value
of United States political culture?
a) Legal equality
b) Political equality
c) Economic equality
d) Freedom of speech
e) Freedom of religion
43. Of the following, the most important role in
the political socialization of children is
played by
a) their peer groups
b) their places of worship
c) the family
d) the media
e) the school
44. Which of the following statements about
voting behavior in the United States is
correct?
a) College graduates are more likely to
vote than are those who have at most
a high school diploma
b) Voters under the age of 25 are more
likely to vote than are those in any
other age group
c) Registration requirements have no
significant effect on voter turnout
d) Since 1920, the proportion of women
have voted is approximately the same
as the proportion of men who have
voted
e) During the twentieth century, the
proportion of African Americans
who voted was approximately the
same as the proportion of White
Americans who voted
45. Which of the following is a provision of
federal election laws?
a) A small fee must be paid by persons
voting in federal elections
b) On-site registrations to vote must be
permitted on the day of any federal
election
c) Electoral districts must be
apportioned to equalize the numbers
of Democratic and Republican voters
wherever a historic imbalance exists
d) Citizens must be automatically
registered to vote on their eighteenth
birthday
e) In areas with significant populations
of linguistic minorities, voting
materials must be made available in
the preferred languages of the
population
46. All of the following can affect the accuracy
of public opinion polling EXCEPT the
a) margin of error
b) underdog effect
c) wording of the questions on the
survey
d) interpretation of the survey results
e) issues that are the subject of the
survey
47. All of the following are reasons for lower
voter turnout in congressional elections
compared to presidential elections
EXCEPT:
a) Political advertisements use more
smear tactics in presidential elections
b) Voters are more aware of national
issues than local issues
c) There is more media coverage of
presidential elections
d) Voters believe that presidential
elections have a greater impact on the
country’s future
e) Candidates spend more money on
presidential elections
48. Which of the following statements best
describes congressional incumbency?
a) Incumbents are usually able to win
reelection
b) Incumbents have had fundraising
limits imposed on them by the
Federal Election Commission
c) Incumbents have been able to raise
less money than their opponents
d) Incumbents are able to use franking
privileges to their tremendous
advantage
e) Incumbents look to have numerous
debates with their opponents to gain
name recognition
49. The importance of Shays’ Rebellion to the
development of the United States
Constitution was that it
a) indicated that a strong,
constitutionally designed national
government was needed to protect
property and maintain order
b) revealed the necessity of both adding
the Bill of Rights to the Constitution
and creating a new system of checks
and balances
c) demonstrated the intensity of
antiratification sentiment within the
thirteen states
d) convinced the delegates attending the
Constitutional Convention to accept
the Connecticut Plan
e) reinforced the idea that slavery
should be outlawed in the new
Constitution
**Don’t forget Question 50 on the next page!
50. In terms of politics, the phrase ‘big tent’
refers to
a) an idea formulated by Cornell
Ventura that a presidential candidate,
when properly motivated, will
typically behave like a ring leader
b) something used to protect a political
party from rain, typically made of
canvas
c) the Latin phrase ‘bigus tentus,’
which roughly translates to ‘you did
not studious!’
d) attempts by a political party to attract
a wide range of people with varying
interests and political concerns
e) the fact that elections are like a
circus