What is your Electoral College I.Q.?

Test Your Knowledge of the History of the Electoral College System

Take the test one question at a time,
or keep track of your answers on a piece of
scratch paper and check the answers
all at once at the link provided below.
Good luck! We didn't make it easy!

Question One:
Which Presidential election was decided by a special commission formed to determine the status of disputed electoral votes?
1. 1800, Thomas Jefferson elected
2. 1824, John Quincy Adams elected
3. 1960, John F. Kennedy elected
4. 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes elected
5. 1860, Abraham Lincoln elected

ANSWER TO QUESTION ONE

Question Two:
How many elections have been decided in the House of Representatives since the Electoral College system began?
1. 0
2. 1
3. 2
4. 3
5. 4

ANSWER TO QUESTION TWO

Question Three:
Which two Presidents received unsolicited electoral votes from defecting electors in years when they were not declared Presidential candidates?
1. Ronald Reagan and John Quincy Adams
2. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson
3. Theodore Roosevelt and Gerald Ford
4. George Washington and John Quincy Adams
5. Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan

ANSWER TO QUESTION THREE

Question Four:
In how many of the fourteen elections from 1948 to 2000 did a candidate who was not the Democratic or Republican candidate for President receive an electoral vote for President?
1. 1
2. 3
3. 4
4. 5
5. 7

ANSWER TO QUESTION FOUR

Question Five:
Since 1856 (the first election when Republicans and Democrats ran against each other), in which year did the largest number of candidates receive electoral votes for President?
1. 1968
2. 1924
3. 1860
4. 1912
5. 1872

ANSWER TO QUESTION FIVE

Question Six:
Which Presidential candidate won the largest electoral vote total?
1. Franklin Roosevelt in 1936
2. Ronald Reagan in 1984
3. Richard Nixon in 1972
4. Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956
5. Lyndon Johnson in 1964

ANSWER TO QUESTION SIX

Question Seven:
Which Presidential candidate won the Presidency with the lowest electoral vote total?
1. John Quincy Adams in 1824
2. John Adams in 1796
3. George Washington in 1789
4. Abraham Lincoln in 1860
5. Abraham Lincoln in 1864

ANSWER TO QUESTION SEVEN

Question Eight:
Which candidate won the Presidency with the largest margin of victory in the Electoral College?
1. Franklin Roosevelt in 1936
2. Ronald Reagan in 1984
3. Richard Nixon in 1972
4. Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956
5. Lyndon Johnson in 1964

ANSWER TO QUESTION EIGHT

Question Nine:
When was the last time the Constitution was amended to update the Electoral College rules?
1. 1804
2. The Constitution has never been amended to change the Electoral College rules.
3. 1961
4. 1865

ANSWER TO QUESTION NINE

Question Ten:
What is the lowest number of Electors each state can have?
1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4

ANSWER TO QUESTION TEN

Question Eleven:
The precise date for Electors to cast their Electoral College votes is:
1. Mandated by Article II, Section One of the Constitution.
2. Mandated by the 12th Amendment of the Constitution.
3. Set by Congress.
4. Set by each individual state.

ANSWER TO QUESTION ELEVEN

Question Twelve:
The precise date for Congress to open and count the sealed Electoral College votes is:
1. Mandated by Article II, Section One of the Constitution.
2. Mandated by the 12th Amendment of the Constitution.
3. Set by Congress.
4. Set by each individual state.

ANSWER TO QUESTION TWELVE

Question Thirteen:
If a President fails to receive enough votes to win in the Electoral College, how is the election decided?
1. A joint session of Congress decides by a simple majority of the individual members.
2. The Electoral College Electors recast their votes for only the top two finishers until a winner is chosen by simple majority.
3. The House of Representatives decides by a simple majority of the individual members.
4. The House of Representatives decides by a simple majority of states (26 states must choose the winning candidate).

ANSWER TO QUESTION THIRTEEN

Question Fourteen:
If a Vice President fails to receive enough votes to win in the Electoral College, how is the election decided?
1. A joint session of Congress decides by a simple majority of the individual members.
2. The Electoral College Electors recast their votes for only the top two finishers until a winner is chosen by simple majority.
3. The Senate decides by a simple majority of the individual members.
4. The Senate decides by a simple majority of states (26 states must choose the winning candidate).

ANSWER TO QUESTION FOURTEEN

Question Fifteen:
Which of the following statements about Electors and their obligations to vote according to the popular vote in their state is most accurate?
1. State law prohibits Electors from casting a vote deviating from the popular vote result.
2. Signed pledges under oath prevent Electors from casting a vote deviating from the popular vote result.
3. There is no Constitutional obligation for Electors to vote according to the state popular vote.
4. The Constitution requires Electors to vote according to the state popular vote.

ANSWER TO QUESTION FIFTEEN

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