Reading Lesson - Chapter 12 (The Media) — Unit test

Question 12 • AP US Government and Politics

A Democratic voter lives in a state that overwhelmingly votes for Republican candidates. A presidential election is coming up soon.Which of the following outcomes is most likely, based on the format of the electoral college?

Answer

The voter will be less likely to vote, because he or she believes that there is strong support in other states for the Democratic candidate.

The voter will be more likely to vote, because he or she knows that individual voters in other states will tip the balance for the Democratic candidate.

The voter will be more likely to vote, because he or she believes that at least one of the state’s electoral votes will go to the Democratic candidate.

The voter will be less likely to vote, because he or she thinks that the vote will not matter, since none of the state’s electoral votes will go to the Democratic candidate.

Explanation

Most states award all their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the state, rather than dividing them in proportion to individual votes. In a state that overwhelmingly supports Republicans, the Democratic voter may expect the Republican candidate to win all of the state’s electoral votes, making the voter feel that their vote will not affect the outcome. So the most likely result is lower motivation to vote, as described in choice D.

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