6
Political Parties
Multiple–Choice Questions
1. One of the various ways in which parties contribute to
democratic governance is by __________.
a. dividing the electorate
b. narrowing voter choice
c. nominating candidates
d. reducing accountability mechanisms
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 166 – 167
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
2. In __________ elections, parties have little opportunity to
inluence the outcome.
a. nonpartisan
b. parliamentary
c. state-level
d. local
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
164
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 162
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
3. Duverger’s Law is associated with which of the following?
a. multiparty systems
b. two-party systems
c. national party committees
d. party identiiers in the electorate
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 169
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
4. Which minor party candidate may have inluenced the 2000
election?
a. George Wallace
b. John Anderson
c. Ross Perot
d. Ralph Nader
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 171
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
5. For citizens in most states, “party” has a particular legal
meaning. What is it?
a. party constitution
165
b. party government
c. party registration
d. party organization
Topic: American Parties Today
Learning Objective: LO 6.3: Evaluate the functions of parties
as institutions, parties in government, and parties in the
electorate.
Page Reference: 179
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
6. Which of the following is true of primaries?
a. They have increased the role of political parties in the
nominating process.
b. They vary signiicantly from state to state.
c. They were irst adopted in the 1930s.
d. They have led to a signiicant increase in voter turnout.
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 166 – 167
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
7. Realigning elections are also known as __________.
a. special elections
b. critical elections
c. primary elections
d. general elections
Topic: A Brief History of American Political Parties
Learning Objective: LO 6.2: Describe changes in American
political parties and identify four realigning elections.
Page Reference: 172
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
166
Diiculty Level: Easy
8. The “Grand Old Party” is the nickname of which political party?
a. Whigs
b. Federalists
c. Democrats
d. Republicans
Topic: A Brief History of American Political Parties
Learning Objective: LO 6.2: Describe changes in American
political parties and identify four realigning elections.
Page Reference: 173
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
9. Most people acquire party identiication at which age?
a. as children
b. as teenagers
c. in their 20s
d. in their 40s
Topic: American Parties Today
Learning Objective: LO 6.3: Evaluate the functions of parties
as institutions, parties in government, and parties in the
electorate.
Page Reference: 180, 182
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
10. In the U.S. political system, a vote for a minor party candidate is
considered a wasted vote. What election reform would decrease
the likelihood of a vote being wasted on an unelectable
candidate?
a. runof elections
b. caucuses
c. single-member districts
d. Duverger’s Law
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 171
Skill Level: Apply What You Know
Diiculty Level: Diicult
11. One characteristic of realigning elections is __________.
a. coordination between the major political parties
b. broad public support for policy change
c. intense voter involvement
d. a high level of voter apathy
Topic: A Brief History of American Political Parties
Learning Objective: LO 6.2: Describe changes in American
political parties and identify four realigning elections.
Page Reference: 172
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
12. While the United States has had several minor parties, only the
two major parties have much of a chance to win elections. What
features of the U.S. political system contribute to the dominance
of two parties?
a. multimember districts and a proportional voting system
b. single-member districts and a nonpartisan blanket primary
system
c. multimember districts and a winner-take-all voting system
d. single-member districts and a winner-take-all voting system
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 169
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
168
13. Which of these is an electoral “earthquake,” where new issues
emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and the minority party
often displaces the majority party?
a. a critical election
b. a decisive election
c. a revolutionary election
d. an upheaval election
Topic: A Brief History of American Political Parties
Learning Objective: LO 6.2: Describe changes in American
political parties and identify four realigning elections.
Page Reference: 172
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
14. Disputes and riots occurred in relation to which party
convention and in what year?
a. Republican Convention in 1972
b. Republican Convention in 1984
c. Democratic Convention in 1968
d. Democratic Convention in 1976
Topic: Are the Political Parties Dying?
Learning Objective: LO 6.5: Assess the efects of recent party
reforms and the long-term prospects for the current party
system.
Page Reference: 186 – 187
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
15. Money that can be raised in unlimited amounts for party-
building purposes is called __________.
a. soft money
b. hard money
c. party-independent expenditures
d. coordinated expenditures
169
Topic: How Parties Raise and Spend Money
Learning Objective: LO 6.4: Explain party fund-raising and
expenditures, and assess their regulation.
Page Reference: 184
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
16. In the 1840s, the two major parties were the __________.
a. Democrats and Republicans
b. Democrats and Whigs
c. Republicans and Federalists
d. Republicans and Whigs
Topic: A Brief History of American Political Parties
Learning Objective: LO 6.2: Describe changes in American
political parties and identify four realigning elections.
Page Reference: 172
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
17. In between party conventions, the body in charge of the national
party is the __________.
a. national committee
b. campaign committee
c. national caucus
d. party in government
Topic: American Parties Today
Learning Objective: LO 6.3: Evaluate the functions of parties
as institutions, parties in government, and parties in the
electorate.
Page Reference: 176 – 172
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
18. George H. W. Bush saying, “Read my lips—no new taxes,”
foreshadowed __________.
a. keeping a campaign promise
b. a presidential candidate misquoting an opponent
170
c. how a negative advertisement can backire
d. a failure to keep a campaign promise
Topic: American Parties Today
Learning Objective: LO 6.3: Evaluate the functions of parties
as institutions, parties in government, and parties in the
electorate.
Page Reference: 177
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
19. Minor parties are the most successful in __________.
a. multiparty systems
b. winner-take-all systems
c. systems operating under Duverger’s Law
d. two-party systems
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 169 – 170
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
20. What challenge do minor parties often face?
a. constitutional restrictions
b. nomination signature requirements
c. too many young candidates
d. outdated voter registration lists
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 170
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
171
21. Who is included in the “party in the electorate”?
a. party oicers who educate the public on party policies
b. public oicials who are registered with one major party
c. delegates to the national party convention
d. voters registered with the political parties
Topic: American Parties Today
Learning Objective: LO 6.3: Evaluate the functions of parties
as institutions, parties in government, and parties in the
electorate.
Page Reference: 179
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
22. Two-party systems tend to produce governments that are
__________.
a. stable and centrist
b. stable and conservative
c. centralized and ideologically driven
d. decentralized and unstable
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 170
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
23. When was the irst realigning election in American party
history?
a. 1800
b. 1824
c. 1860
d. 1896
172
Topic: A Brief History of American Political Parties
Learning Objective: LO 6.2: Describe changes in American
political parties and identify four realigning elections.
Page Reference: 172
Skill Level: Remember the Facts
Diiculty Level: Easy
24. The years 1860 to 1928 saw the ascendency of which party?
a. Democrats
b. Federalists
c. Republicans
d. Whigs
Topic: A Brief History of American Political Parties
Learning Objective: LO 6.2: Describe changes in American
political parties and identify four realigning elections.
Page Reference: 173
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Easy
25. Ross Perot’s candidacy in 1992 and 1996 demonstrated which of
the following?
a. A minor party candidate can win electoral votes with very
little popular support.
b. A minor party candidate can receive no electoral votes
despite some popular support.
c. A minor party candidate can come very close to winning the
presidency.
d. A minor party candidate has a chance at winning the
Electoral College, if popular.
Topic: What Parties Do for Democracy
Learning Objective: LO 6.1: Identify the primary functions of
parties in democracies and distinguish the U.S. party system
from those in European democracies.
Page Reference: 170
Skill Level: Understand the Concepts
Diiculty Level: Moderate
26. What has changed between the 1964 and 2008 elections?