Question

Which statement best represents the main idea of Passage 1? Campaign strategies are determined by the number of electoral votes at stake, which dictates where candidates campaign. The Electoral College gives states too much power in national elections, which leads to unfair results. The Electoral College allows candidates to win elections without winning the popular vote, and this feature is difficult to change. Campaign strategies are focused on winning the popular vote, and this creates an advantage for large cities.

Answer 1

The main idea of Passage 1 is that campaign strategies are influenced by the Electoral College system, where most states use a winner-take-all approach, driving candidates to focus on specific states that can determine the election outcome.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main idea of Passage 1 is that campaign strategies are determined by the number of electoral votes at stake, which in turn influences where candidates focus their campaign efforts. Passage 1 outlines how the Electoral College operates, with a majority of states using a winner-take-all approach, barring Maine and Nebraska which use the congressional district method.

This structure leads to candidates concentrating on certain states that could tip the balance of the election, rather than campaigning for the popular vote nationwide. The passage also touches on the possibility for a candidate to win the presidency without winning the popular vote due to this system, as has happened in several historical instances.

Features like winner-take-all states, campaign strategies, and the popular vs. electoral vote dichotomy are highlighted to explain how presidential elections function in the United States.

Although there have been calls for reform to a direct popular vote system, efforts have been largely unsuccessful, preserving the existing mechanism and heavily influencing election strategies.