Q.1 What is the primary purpose of an election in a democratic system?
To select leaders
To enforce laws
To conduct judicial reviews
To regulate the economy
Explanation - Elections allow citizens to choose representatives or leaders who will make decisions on their behalf.
Correct answer is: To select leaders
Q.2 Which electoral system is based on the principle 'the candidate with the most votes wins'?
Proportional Representation
First-Past-The-Post
Single Transferable Vote
Mixed-Member Proportional
Explanation - In First-Past-The-Post, the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency wins, regardless of whether they have a majority.
Correct answer is: First-Past-The-Post
Q.3 Which type of electoral system aims to match the percentage of seats to the percentage of votes a party receives?
First-Past-The-Post
Proportional Representation
Majoritarian
Single Non-Transferable Vote
Explanation - Proportional Representation allocates seats based on the proportion of votes each party gets, ensuring fairer representation.
Correct answer is: Proportional Representation
Q.4 In which electoral system do voters rank candidates in order of preference?
Plurality Voting
Ranked Choice Voting
Block Voting
Mixed System
Explanation - Ranked Choice Voting allows voters to rank candidates. If no candidate gets a majority, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated, and votes are transferred.
Correct answer is: Ranked Choice Voting
Q.5 What is a runoff election?
An election to confirm a law
A second election when no candidate wins a majority
A system where multiple candidates win
A recall vote
Explanation - Runoff elections occur if no candidate achieves the required majority, ensuring the winner has broad support.
Correct answer is: A second election when no candidate wins a majority
Q.6 Which system often results in a two-party dominant system?
Proportional Representation
First-Past-The-Post
Single Transferable Vote
Mixed-Member Proportional
Explanation - FPTP tends to favor larger parties and discourages smaller ones, often leading to two-party dominance.
Correct answer is: First-Past-The-Post
Q.7 What is gerrymandering?
Voting by mail
Manipulating electoral district boundaries for political advantage
A proportional system
A runoff election method
Explanation - Gerrymandering redraws district boundaries to favor a particular party or candidate, affecting election outcomes.
Correct answer is: Manipulating electoral district boundaries for political advantage
Q.8 Which of the following is an advantage of proportional representation?
Faster election results
Reflects minority opinions in legislature
Encourages regional parties
Reduces voter turnout
Explanation - PR systems allow smaller parties and minority groups to gain seats proportionate to their vote share, promoting inclusivity.
Correct answer is: Reflects minority opinions in legislature
Q.9 What is the main characteristic of a majoritarian electoral system?
Winner must have an absolute majority
Seats are allocated proportionally
Voters rank candidates
Multiple representatives per district
Explanation - Majoritarian systems require a candidate to obtain more than 50% of votes to win, emphasizing majority support.
Correct answer is: Winner must have an absolute majority
Q.10 Which system combines elements of FPTP and Proportional Representation?
Mixed-Member Proportional
Single Transferable Vote
Ranked Choice Voting
Block Voting
Explanation - MMP allows voters to select a local representative and also votes for a party, combining local representation and proportionality.
Correct answer is: Mixed-Member Proportional
Q.11 What does voter turnout measure?
The number of votes a candidate receives
The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot
The number of registered political parties
The total population of a country
Explanation - Voter turnout indicates political participation and engagement in the electoral process.
Correct answer is: The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot
Q.12 In which system are multiple winners elected from a single district?
Single-Member District
Multi-Member District
Proportional Representation
First-Past-The-Post
Explanation - Multi-member districts elect more than one representative, often used in proportional systems.
Correct answer is: Multi-Member District
Q.13 What is the primary disadvantage of the FPTP system?
It always produces coalition governments
It can overrepresent larger parties and underrepresent smaller ones
It is too complex for voters
It eliminates regional representation
Explanation - FPTP can lead to disproportionate representation, favoring large parties and reducing smaller parties’ influence.
Correct answer is: It can overrepresent larger parties and underrepresent smaller ones
Q.14 What is an electoral threshold in proportional representation systems?
The minimum percentage of votes needed to gain seats
The number of candidates allowed per party
The age requirement for voters
The maximum number of seats a party can hold
Explanation - Electoral thresholds prevent very small parties from entering the legislature, avoiding excessive fragmentation.
Correct answer is: The minimum percentage of votes needed to gain seats
Q.15 Which voting system is designed to minimize wasted votes?
First-Past-The-Post
Single Transferable Vote
Block Voting
Runoff Voting
Explanation - STV allows voters to rank preferences and transfers votes to remaining candidates, maximizing representation and reducing wasted votes.
Correct answer is: Single Transferable Vote
Q.16 What is the effect of compulsory voting?
Lower voter turnout
Higher voter turnout
Eliminates political parties
Reduces elections frequency
Explanation - Compulsory voting legally requires citizens to vote, increasing participation in elections.
Correct answer is: Higher voter turnout
Q.17 Which factor can distort the proportionality in PR systems?
District magnitude
Voter age
Election day
Party logo design
Explanation - District magnitude (number of representatives per district) affects how proportional a PR system is; small magnitudes can distort proportionality.
Correct answer is: District magnitude
Q.18 What is a major characteristic of runoff elections in presidential systems?
Winner is decided by parliament
If no candidate wins majority, a second round is held
All candidates win proportionally
Voters only rank parties
Explanation - Runoff elections ensure that the winner has majority support rather than just a plurality.
Correct answer is: If no candidate wins majority, a second round is held
Q.19 Which type of system encourages coalition governments?
Majoritarian
Proportional Representation
First-Past-The-Post
Single Non-Transferable Vote
Explanation - PR often results in multiple parties gaining seats, making coalition governments necessary.
Correct answer is: Proportional Representation
Q.20 What is a closed-list proportional representation system?
Voters can choose individual candidates
Voters only select a party list
Voters rank candidates
Voters vote twice
Explanation - In a closed-list system, voters select a party, and the party determines the order of candidates on the list.
Correct answer is: Voters only select a party list
Q.21 Which system allows voters to choose both a local representative and a party list?
Mixed-Member Proportional
Single Transferable Vote
First-Past-The-Post
Ranked Choice Voting
Explanation - MMP combines local candidate elections (FPTP) and proportional party lists for overall proportionality.
Correct answer is: Mixed-Member Proportional
Q.22 What does 'wasted vote' mean in electoral studies?
A vote for the winning candidate
A vote that does not affect the election outcome
A vote for a coalition
A vote cast incorrectly
Explanation - Wasted votes are those that do not contribute to electing a candidate, common in FPTP systems for losing candidates or excess votes for winners.
Correct answer is: A vote that does not affect the election outcome
Q.23 Which electoral system is most likely to result in a two-party system according to Duverger's Law?
First-Past-The-Post
Proportional Representation
Single Transferable Vote
Mixed-Member Proportional
Explanation - Duverger's Law states that single-member plurality systems favor two-party systems due to strategic voting.
Correct answer is: First-Past-The-Post
Q.24 What is a multi-round election?
An election conducted in multiple stages to ensure a majority winner
An election with multiple parties
A proportional system
A ranked voting system
Explanation - Multi-round elections like runoffs ensure the winner gains majority support, enhancing legitimacy.
Correct answer is: An election conducted in multiple stages to ensure a majority winner
Q.25 Which is a disadvantage of proportional representation systems?
Excludes minority parties
Can lead to fragmented legislatures and unstable coalitions
Overrepresents large parties
Eliminates voter choice
Explanation - PR systems often produce many parties in the legislature, which can make forming stable governments difficult.
Correct answer is: Can lead to fragmented legislatures and unstable coalitions