CPCT Electoral Systems and Voting Rights Flashcards
6 cards from real CPCT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CPCT Electoral Systems and Voting Rights flashcards as text
What is 'ranked-choice voting' (RCV)?
Answer: Voters rank candidates by preference; if no one wins outright, lower-ranked candidates are eliminated
In ranked-choice voting, voters rank candidates in order of preference, and candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated in rounds until one reaches a majority.
What does 'voter suppression' refer to in U.S. political discourse?
Answer: Strategies used to discourage or prevent specific groups from voting
Voter suppression refers to tactics—such as strict ID laws, reduced polling hours, or purging voter rolls—intended to reduce turnout among particular groups.
How are U.S. Senators chosen under the current system?
Answer: Directly elected by voters in each state
Since the 17th Amendment (1913), U.S. Senators are directly elected by the voters of their state rather than appointed by state legislatures.
What is a 'primary election' in the U.S. political system?
Answer: An election to select a party's candidate for a general election
A primary election is held within a political party to determine which candidate will represent that party in the general election.
The concept of 'one person, one vote' was established by which landmark Supreme Court case?
Answer: Reynolds v. Sims (1964)
Reynolds v. Sims (1964) established the 'one person, one vote' principle, requiring state legislative districts to be roughly equal in population.
What is the minimum voting age in U.S. federal elections, as set by the 26th Amendment?
Answer: 18
The 26th Amendment, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age to 18 for all federal, state, and local elections.