Elections and Voting Quiz (Level 1)
What document gave African Americans the right to vote?
- The Fifteenth Amendment, passed in 1870, gave former slaves the right to vote.
What's another word that means the right to vote?
- Suffrage means having the right to vote. The women's suffrage movement, for example, was the campaign to give women the right to vote.
What does gerrymandering mean?
- To gerrymander is to rearrange a voting district so that that the voters in that district vote for a certain party. The term comes from Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry, who in 1812 created a strangely shaped district designed to include voters that were likely to vote for his party. The district had such a bizarre shape that it resembled a salamander. Gerry's opponents, angered that he was trying to influence the election in such a manipulative way, referred to his tactics as "gerrymandering."
How old do you have to be to vote?
- The 26th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1971, lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.
At the time the Constitution was written, who was allowed to vote in U.S. elections?
- Only white male property owners could vote in the early decades of the nation. By 1850, most states had eliminated property ownership and tax requirements as a condition for voting. But although white men could then vote, women and African Americans had a much longer wait.
In the United States, national elections always take place during what month?
- Elections always take place on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November.
How long are the terms served by U.S. senators?
- The term of a U.S. senator is six years.
When were women first permitted to vote in the United States?
- American women were granted the right to vote in 1920, with the passage of the 19th Amendment.
How many terms can a president serve?
- A president can serve just two terms. The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1951, set term limits for the presidency: "no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice."
How often are elections held for seats in the House of Representatives?
- Congressmen and Congresswomen run every two years for office.
How often are presidential elections?
- Presidential elections take place every four years.
