01
Choose one
1 point
In a single-member plurality election, four candidates receive 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10% of the vote. Which candidate wins the seat?
Free Practice Quiz Question List
Political Parties and Elections Online Quiz Questions
Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review Political Parties and Elections, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.
20 questions
02
True or false
1 point
True or false: The mere presence of political parties and elections is sufficient to establish that a regime is democratic.
- A
True
- B
False
03
Written response
1 point
What type of party system exists when one party monopolizes political power and other parties are illegal, excluded from meaningful competition, or permitted only as subordinate organizations?
04
Fill in the blank
1 point
Political parties identify, train, and nominate candidates for public office. This function is called .
05
Choose one
1 point
A small party has dispersed support equal to 8% of the national vote. Which electoral arrangement would generally give it the best chance of gaining legislative seats, assuming it clears any applicable threshold?
- A
A proportional representation system
- B
A single-member plurality system
- C
A system that permits only one legal party
- D
A system in which the executive appoints all legislators
06
True or false
1 point
True or false: A legislature can be descriptively diverse without adopting policies favored by the marginalized groups whose characteristics are represented.
- A
True
- B
False
07
Written response
1 point
In a plurality election with vote shares of 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10%, what is the winning candidate's vote share? Enter the value in percentage points; no tolerance is allowed.
08
Fill in the blank
1 point
When electoral districts contain substantially unequal numbers of voters, the resulting representation problem is called .
09
Choose one
1 point
Which feature distinguishes a mixed-member proportional system from a parallel mixed system?
- A
Party-list seats compensate for disproportional district results.
- B
The proportional tier completely replaces district-based elections.
- C
Only single-member districts are used.
- D
All legislative seats are allocated in exact proportion to national vote shares.
10
Choose all
1 point
Which of the following are democratic functions of an opposition party? Select all correct choices.
- A
Investigating executive action and exposing abuse
- B
Presenting alternative policy platforms
- C
Using committees, amendments, or budget votes to constrain the executive
- D
Automatically approving every executive proposal
11
Choose all
1 point
Which outcomes are generally associated with proportional representation? Select all correct choices.
- A
Smaller parties have a greater chance of winning seats.
- B
Ideological, ethnic, regional, or minority interests may be represented more accurately.
- C
Coalition governments become more likely.
- D
Fewer votes produce no legislative representation.
- E
Every elected legislator represents one specific geographic district directly.
12
Open ended
1 point
Explain why single-member plurality elections are associated with a prominent two-party system in the United States but coexist with strong regional and national multiparty competition in India. What broader comparative principle does this illustrate?
13
Choose one
1 point
Which situation is specifically possible in a presidential system, according to the material?
- A
The opposition may control the legislature while another party controls the presidency.
- B
The opposition can govern only by forming a parliamentary coalition after a confidence vote.
- C
The opposition is legally prohibited from criticizing the executive.
- D
The opposition automatically forms the executive whenever it wins legislative seats.
14
Choose one
1 point
In a parliamentary democracy, what commonly happens after legislative elections?
- A
The judiciary automatically appoints the executive
- B
A party or coalition usually forms the executive after legislative elections
- C
The military selects the executive regardless of election results
- D
The largest interest group directly appoints the executive
15
Choose one
1 point
Which is one possible use of elections in an authoritarian regime?
- A
They guarantee that opposition parties can peacefully replace the ruling leadership
- B
They eliminate the need for ruling-party coordination
- C
They can help rulers gather information about local grievances
- D
They ensure equal media access for all candidates
16
Choose one
1 point
A country permits several parties to contest elections, but one party repeatedly wins and controls government for decades. Which party-system classification best fits this country?
- A
A dominant-party system
- B
A one-party system
- C
A two-party system
- D
A proportional-representation system
17
Choose one
1 point
Four candidates receive 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10% of the vote in a single-member district using a plurality rule. Which conclusion is correct?
- A
The winner must have received a majority of all votes
- B
The result is invalid because no candidate received at least 50%
- C
The two leading candidates must compete in a runoff
- D
The candidate with 40% wins with a plurality rather than a majority
18
True or false
1 point
True or false: Because electoral rules shape incentives, the same electoral rule always produces the same party-system outcome in every country.
- A
True
- B
False
19
Written response
1 point
What is the political-science term for a situation in which electoral districts contain substantially unequal numbers of voters?
20
Written response
1 point
What is the political-science term for deliberately designing electoral boundaries to advantage a party or group?