Asked by jj
🗳️ Election Basics – Short Answer Worksheet
Crash Course Government and Politics #36
Name: Jurnee Smith
Date: 12/4/2025
Class Block: 3rd
________________________________________
1. Why does the U.S. use elections instead of direct public votes on every issue?
2. What is the role of the Constitution in shaping U.S. elections?
3. How do constitutional amendments influence voting rights?
4. What powers do states have over elections?
5. What is the difference between a majority vote and a plurality vote?
6. What is Duverger’s Law, and how does it relate to the two-party system in the U.S.?
7. What is “adverse selection” in the context of elections?
8. How do elections help solve the problem of adverse selection?
9. Why might some elections in the U.S. not be truly competitive?
10. What is one insight or takeaway you gained from this video about how elections work in the U.S.?
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
Name: Jurnee Smith
Date: 12/4/2025
Class Block: 3rd
1. The U.S. uses representative elections because direct voting on every issue is impractical for a large, complex society; elected officials can specialize, act quickly, and balance competing interests while protecting minority rights.
2. The Constitution sets the basic rules and structure for elections (creates offices, sets some qualifications, establishes the Electoral College), gives Congress and states authority to regulate the “times, places, and manner” of federal elections, and establishes principles (like separation of powers) that shape how elections function.
3. Amendments have expanded and protected voting rights (15th: race; 19th: sex; 24th: banned poll taxes; 26th: lowered voting age to 18) and the 14th’s equal protection clause has been used to challenge discriminatory practices.
4. States run and administer elections: they set voter registration rules, design ballots, manage polling places, draw legislative districts (redistricting), administer primaries, and certify results—subject to federal law and constitutional limits.
5. Majority vote means a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote; plurality means a candidate gets the most votes of all candidates but may have less than 50%.
6. Duverger’s Law says single-member districts with plurality voting tend to produce two major parties because voters and candidates strategically concentrate support, which helps explain the U.S. two-party system.
7. Adverse selection in elections is the problem that voters cannot perfectly observe candidates’ true qualities or intentions, so they may elect officials who are lower quality or have undesirable incentives.
8. Elections reduce adverse selection by providing information (campaigns, debates, media, endorsements), using parties and primaries as screening/signaling mechanisms, and allowing regular turnover and accountability so poor performers can be voted out.
9. Some U.S. elections aren’t competitive because of factors like safe (non-competitive) districts from gerrymandering, strong incumbency advantages, resource imbalances, lack of viable challengers, and barriers to participation or ballot access.
10. Takeaway: The rules and institutions (like federalism, electoral rules, and parties) shape outcomes a lot—how we vote matters, but how elections are structured often matters even more.
Date: 12/4/2025
Class Block: 3rd
1. The U.S. uses representative elections because direct voting on every issue is impractical for a large, complex society; elected officials can specialize, act quickly, and balance competing interests while protecting minority rights.
2. The Constitution sets the basic rules and structure for elections (creates offices, sets some qualifications, establishes the Electoral College), gives Congress and states authority to regulate the “times, places, and manner” of federal elections, and establishes principles (like separation of powers) that shape how elections function.
3. Amendments have expanded and protected voting rights (15th: race; 19th: sex; 24th: banned poll taxes; 26th: lowered voting age to 18) and the 14th’s equal protection clause has been used to challenge discriminatory practices.
4. States run and administer elections: they set voter registration rules, design ballots, manage polling places, draw legislative districts (redistricting), administer primaries, and certify results—subject to federal law and constitutional limits.
5. Majority vote means a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote; plurality means a candidate gets the most votes of all candidates but may have less than 50%.
6. Duverger’s Law says single-member districts with plurality voting tend to produce two major parties because voters and candidates strategically concentrate support, which helps explain the U.S. two-party system.
7. Adverse selection in elections is the problem that voters cannot perfectly observe candidates’ true qualities or intentions, so they may elect officials who are lower quality or have undesirable incentives.
8. Elections reduce adverse selection by providing information (campaigns, debates, media, endorsements), using parties and primaries as screening/signaling mechanisms, and allowing regular turnover and accountability so poor performers can be voted out.
9. Some U.S. elections aren’t competitive because of factors like safe (non-competitive) districts from gerrymandering, strong incumbency advantages, resource imbalances, lack of viable challengers, and barriers to participation or ballot access.
10. Takeaway: The rules and institutions (like federalism, electoral rules, and parties) shape outcomes a lot—how we vote matters, but how elections are structured often matters even more.
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