History of Elections
Why did the founding fathers decide to use an electoral college system instead of a popular vote?
To compromise between big states and small states
How old must a U.S. citizen in order to vote for a presidential candidate?
18 years old
How many total votes are in the electoral college?
538
Which amendment gave women the right to vote?
19th amendment
In what month are presidential elections held?
November
This man was the only U.S. President to be elected unanimously.
George Washington
True or false: election day in the U.S. is a federal holiday.
False
How many electoral votes does a candidate need to win the presidency?
270
True or false: the 14th amendment guarantees that race cannot be used to deny someone the right to vote.
True or false: in addition to the presidential, there is a vice presidential debate during campaign season
In this year, the United States held its first presidential election.
A. 1776
B. 1787
C. 1789
D. 1800
1789
What type of identification do dome states require in order to vote at the polls?
Government-issued photo ID
What is the formula for calculating a state's electoral college votes?
Number of House representatives + 2
Which amendment lowered the voting age?
26th amendment
What does PAC stand for?
Political Action Committee
What did the 12th amendment change, in broad terms?
The process for electing the vice president.
How old must a U.S. citizen to run for president?
35 years old
What is the U.S. state with the most electors, and how many does it have?
California, 54
In what year was the voting age lowered?
1970
Which U.S. president first appeared in a televised national debate in 1960?
John F. Kennedy
In early U.S. history, only this type of person could vote.
White, male, property owners
What makes a Super PAC different from a PAC?
Super PACs are not subject to contribution limits
Name two of the seven key swing states in recent U.S. presidential elections.
Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
What was the slogan used to support the lowering of the voting age in during the Vietnam War?
"Old enough to fight, old enough to vote"
Why do candidates spend more time in 'swing states'?
Because they can decide the outcome of the election: winner-takes-all system within states