Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. One option is to redraw electoral boundaries to favour you. For example, suppose you can get 2 friends to vote for you, but there are 10 million voters. Simply split the electorate into 3 constituencies, one with 10 million voters (which you will lose) and 2 more, with one voter each, which you will win.
OK, you probably won't get away with that, but variations on this theme have worked over the years. What's the name for this practice?
2. One option is to make the ballot paper so confusing that people vote for you by accident. You might, for example, change your name to Barick Oboma, and hope no-one notices. Alternatively, you might follow Florida's example from the 2000 US Presidential Election, and use a paper with names down both sides, and staggered holes through the middle. What colloquial name was given to that paper?
3. Demographic Manipulation. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it? But this technique, of moving likely favourable voters into a particular consituency has been used on numerous occasions, for example in London's "Homes for Votes" scandal of the 1990s.
In this great moment for British democracy, houses were offered for sale (likely to attract Conservative voters to the borough) rather than reletting them to likely Labour voting tenants. What was the slogan attached to this policy by the Conservative party (who instigated it)?
4. "Disenfranchisement" refers to the practice of simply not giving a given class of people a vote in the first place. It worked very successfully for the British for a number of years until those gosh darned Americans made such a fuss about it.
More recently, which African politician presided over the disenfranchisement of nationals not living within the borders of Zimbabwe?
5. Buying votes is a great option if you have the money, but how wealthy do you have to be? For example, in 2005, three Illinois "Democrats" were convicted of paying in the 2004 federal election. How much did they pay per vote?
6. Are you by any chance already a fascist dictator? If so, then why not just arrest a substantial proportion of your political opponents, and in their absence pass a law that gives you and your cronies enduring legislative power? Adolf Hitler did so under the Enabling Act of 1933. What was the name of the Parliamentary body denuded of power as a result?
7. Being in control of the military is certainly helpful. Can you name the Pakistani general who took power in a non-violent coup-d'etat in 1999.
8. Suppose you're a misogynist, and disliked by women as a result. Why not simply stand for election in a jurisdiction where women don't have the vote? Which of the following was the last to grant votes for women?
9. If, like me, you're immensely muscled and powerful, then voter intimidation may be your best option. Sadly, nowadays this can be difficult, due to the existence of secret ballots. Which British colony was the first to instigate secret balloting?
10. The simplest course is probably just to be British. It's perfectly possible to become Prime Minister of the UK without anyone voting for you as such. Indeed, of the 4 names following, only one originally became Prime Minister having stood as leader of their party at the previous election. Which one?
Source: Author
Islingtonian
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
Bruyere before going online.
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