Elections MCQs [USA – America]

1. What is the primary function of the Electoral College in U.S. presidential elections? a) To directly elect the President b) To determine the number of Senate seats c) To select the Vice President d) To elect members of Congress Answer: a) To directly elect the President 2. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the right to vote? a) 13th Amendment b) 15th Amendment c) 19th Amendment d) 21st Amendment Answer: c) 19th Amendment 3. Which U.S. Supreme Court case established the principle of “one person, one vote”? a) Brown v. Board of Education b) Baker v. Carr c) Marbury v. Madison d) Roe v. Wade Answer: b) Baker v. Carr 4. Which act was signed into law to prevent racial discrimination in voting? a) Civil Rights Act of 1964 b) Voting Rights Act of 1965 c) Fair Housing Act d) National Voter Registration Act Answer: b) Voting Rights Act of 1965 5. How many electoral votes are required to win the U.S. presidency? a) 100 b) 270 c) 538 d) 435 Answer: b) 270 6. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution lowered the voting age to 18? a) 14th Amendment b) 15th Amendment c) 24th Amendment d) 26th Amendment Answer: d) 26th Amendment 7. In which year did the first presidential election in the United States take place? a) 1776 b) 1789 c) 1800 d) 1812 Answer: b) 1789 8. What is the main purpose of primary elections in the U.S.? a) To elect the President b) To select party nominees for general elections c) To amend the Constitution d) To vote on public policy issues Answer: b) To select party nominees for general elections 9. Which U.S. state holds the first primary in the presidential election cycle? a) New York b) California c) Iowa d) New Hampshire Answer: d) New Hampshire 10. What is a “swing state” in U.S. elections? a) A state with a large number of electoral votes b) A state that consistently votes for one party c) A state where either major party has a chance of winning d) A state with a unique voting system Answer: c) A state where either major party has a chance of winning 11. Which U.S. President was elected for four terms, leading to the passage of the 22nd Amendment? a) George Washington b) Abraham Lincoln c) Franklin D. Roosevelt d) Theodore Roosevelt Answer: c) Franklin D. Roosevelt 12. What is a “caucus” in the context of U.S. elections? a) A secret ballot voting method b) A meeting of party members to select candidates c) A public debate between candidates d) A fundraising event for candidates Answer: b) A meeting of party members to select candidates 13. Which branch of the U.S. government is responsible for administering federal elections? a) Executive Branch b) Legislative Branch c) Judicial Branch d) The Federal Election Commission Answer: d) The Federal Election Commission 14. What is the purpose of the “popular vote” in U.S. presidential elections? a) To determine the President directly b) To influence the Electoral College vote c) To elect the Vice President d) To determine the outcome of congressional races Answer: b) To influence the Electoral College vote 15. Which political party was founded by Thomas Jefferson? a) Federalist Party b) Democratic-Republican Party c) Whig Party d) Republican Party Answer: b) Democratic-Republican Party 16. Who was the first African American to be elected President of the United States? a) Colin Powell b) Barack Obama c) Jesse Jackson d) Condoleezza Rice Answer: b) Barack Obama 17. Which amendment abolished poll taxes in federal elections? a) 16th Amendment b) 18th Amendment c) 24th Amendment d) 25th Amendment Answer: c) 24th Amendment 18. What is “gerrymandering”? a) The process of redrawing district boundaries to benefit a particular party b) The process of impeaching a President c) The process of selecting Supreme Court justices d) The process of vetoing legislation Answer: a) The process of redrawing district boundaries to benefit a particular party 19. Which election is known as the “Revolution of 1800”? a) The election of 1776 b) The election of 1789 c) The election of 1800 d) The election of 1824 Answer: c) The election of 1800 20. What is the significance of Super Tuesday in U.S. presidential elections? a) It is the day when the President is inaugurated b) It is the day when the most states hold their primary elections c) It is the day when the Electoral College votes d) It is the day when the general election is held Answer: b) It is the day when the most states hold their primary elections 21. Which U.S. state has the largest number of electoral votes? a) New York b) Texas c) Florida d) California Answer: d) California 22. Which amendment granted African American men the right to vote? a) 13th Amendment b) 14th Amendment c) 15th Amendment d) 19th Amendment Answer: c) 15th Amendment 23. What is a “runoff election”? a) An election held if no candidate wins a majority b) An election held after a candidate is impeached c) An election to fill a vacant Senate seat d) An election to amend the Constitution Answer: a) An election held if no candidate wins a majority 24. What is the primary role of a political party’s national convention? a) To select the party’s presidential nominee b) To debate policy issues c) To pass new laws d) To fundraise for candidates Answer: a) To select the party’s presidential nominee 25. Who is eligible to vote in U.S. federal elections? a) Any resident of the United States b) Any citizen of the United States aged 18 or older c) Any taxpayer d) Any permanent resident Answer: b) Any citizen of the United States aged 18 or older 26. Which U.S. President was impeached twice? a) Richard Nixon b) Bill Clinton c) Andrew Johnson d) Donald Trump Answer: d) Donald Trump 27. What is the term length for a U.S. Senator? a) 2 years b) 4 years c) 6 years d) 8 years Answer: c) 6 years 28. How many members are there in the U.S. House of Representatives? a) 100 b) 435 c) 538 d) 50 Answer: b) 435 29. What is the name given to the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution? a) The Bill of Rights b) The Preamble c) The Articles d) The Federalist Papers Answer: a) The Bill of Rights 30. Which U.S. Supreme Court decision upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation in elections? a) Dred Scott v. Sandford b) Plessy v. Ferguson c) Brown v. Board of Education d) Bush v. Gore Answer: b) Plessy v. Ferguson 31. Which U.S. President signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law? a) John F. Kennedy b) Lyndon B. Johnson c) Richard Nixon d) Gerald Ford Answer: b) Lyndon B. Johnson 32. What is the role of the Vice President in the Senate? a) To propose new legislation b) To cast a tie-breaking vote c) To appoint Senators d) To veto bills Answer: b) To cast a tie-breaking vote 33. Which U.S. President resigned from office before being impeached? a) Richard Nixon b) Bill Clinton c) Andrew Johnson d) Herbert Hoover Answer: a) Richard Nixon 34. Which amendment provides for the direct election of U.S. Senators? a) 15th Amendment b) 17th Amendment c) 19th Amendment d) 21st Amendment Answer: b) 17th Amendment 35. How often are elections for the U.S. House of Representatives held? a) Every 2 years b) Every 4 years c) Every 6 years d) Every 8 years Answer: a) Every 2 years 36. Which U.S. state was the first to grant women the right to vote? a) Wyoming b) New York c) California d) Texas Answer: a) Wyoming 37. What is the main function of the Federal Election Commission (FEC)? a) To conduct elections b) To oversee campaign finance laws c) To appoint election officials d) To write election laws Answer: b) To oversee campaign finance laws 38. Which U.S. Supreme Court case ruled that campaign spending is a form of protected speech? a) Citizens United v. FEC b) McCutcheon v. FEC c) Buckley v. Valeo d) Reynolds v. Sims Answer: a) Citizens United v. FEC 39. What is “absentee voting”? a) Voting by mail before an election b) Voting while on vacation c) Voting in person at a different location d) Voting in a primary election Answer: a) Voting by mail before an election 40. Which voting system uses ranked choices to elect candidates? a) First-past-the-post b) Runoff c) Instant-runoff voting d) Proportional representation Answer: c) Instant-runoff voting