Do you know the US political system? – answers and explanations
Here are the answers to all 15 questions in the Do you know the US political system? quiz, each with a short explanation. Test your knowledge of how American government, separation of powers and elections work. Haven't played yet? Take the quiz first and compare your score.
Play the quiz · 15 questions1. Who casts the deciding vote when the US Senate is tied?
Answer: The Vice President
Under Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, the Vice President serves as President of the Senate and may vote only to break a tie.
2. How many electoral votes does a candidate need to win the US presidency?
Answer: 270
A presidential candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win, which is a majority of the 538 available. The 538 total equals the 435 House seats plus 100 senators plus 3 electors for the District of Columbia.
3. What vote in both houses of Congress is needed to override a presidential veto?
Answer: Two-thirds majority
Congress can override a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in both the House and the Senate. If the first chamber fails to override, the veto stands and the other chamber does not vote on it.
4. How long is the term of a US senator?
Answer: Six years
US senators serve six-year terms. The terms are staggered, so about one-third of the Senate is up for election every two years.
5. Which state is famous for traditionally holding the first presidential primary?
Answer: New Hampshire
New Hampshire is known for holding the first presidential primary in the nation, a tradition that dates back to 1920. Iowa's caucuses usually come earlier, but they are caucuses, not a primary.
6. Which body must confirm a president's nominee to the Supreme Court?
Answer: The Senate
Under the Constitution, the president appoints Supreme Court justices with the 'Advice and Consent of the Senate', so only the Senate votes to confirm them. The House plays no role in confirming judges.
7. How many voting members sit in the US House of Representatives?
Answer: 435
The US House of Representatives has 435 voting members, a number fixed by the Reapportionment Act of 1929. Seats are divided among the states by population after each ten-year census.
8. What is the Supreme Court's power to strike down unconstitutional laws called?
Answer: Judicial review
Judicial review is the courts' power to strike down laws that conflict with the Constitution. The Supreme Court firmly established it in Marbury v. Madison in 1803.
9. On which day of the week are US federal elections traditionally held?
Answer: Tuesday
US federal general elections are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Congress set this date in 1845, partly so rural voters could travel without missing Sunday worship.
10. In each midterm election, roughly what share of US Senate seats is contested?
Answer: One third
Senators serve staggered six-year terms, so about one third of the 100 Senate seats are up for election every two years, including in midterm elections.
11. How many amendments have been added to the US Constitution?
Answer: 27
The US Constitution has 27 amendments. The first ten, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791, and the most recent, the 27th, which deals with congressional pay, was ratified in 1992.
12. Who presides over the Senate trial when a US president is impeached?
Answer: The Chief Justice of the United States
Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution says the Chief Justice presides when the president is tried in the Senate. The rule keeps the Vice President, who would gain from a conviction, from running the trial.
13. What is the day called when many states hold presidential primaries at once?
Answer: Super Tuesday
Super Tuesday is the day, usually in early March of a presidential election year, when the largest number of states hold primaries and caucuses. A big share of convention delegates is awarded on that one day.
14. Which two states can split their electoral votes instead of winner-take-all?
Answer: Maine and Nebraska
Maine and Nebraska use the congressional district method. Two electoral votes go to the statewide winner and one goes to the winner of each congressional district. Every other state gives all of its electors to the statewide winner.
15. If no candidate wins an Electoral College majority, who chooses the president?
Answer: The House of Representatives
Under the 12th Amendment, if no candidate wins an Electoral College majority, the House of Representatives picks the president, and each state delegation casts one vote. The Senate picks the vice president. The House last chose a president in 1825, when it elected John Quincy Adams.