Which of the following statements about a nonpartisan election, where party labels do not appear on the ballot, is true?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Most school and city officers are chosen in this way

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
In many political systems, elections can be classified as partisan or nonpartisan. In partisan elections, candidates run with party labels and are officially nominated by political parties. In nonpartisan elections, party labels do not appear on the ballot and party affiliation is not highlighted. This question asks which statement correctly describes nonpartisan elections, especially in the context of local government in countries like the United States.



Given Data / Assumptions:
- The term nonpartisan election means that the ballot does not display party labels for candidates.
- The options mention different kinds of offices and requirements, such as nominations by parties or selection of local officers.
- Only one statement correctly reflects how nonpartisan elections typically work.



Concept / Approach:
Nonpartisan elections are commonly used for local offices such as school boards, city councils and some municipal positions. In these elections, the ballot lists candidate names without party labels. This is intended to put more focus on local issues and candidate qualities rather than party identity. In contrast, state senators and members of national legislatures are usually chosen in partisan elections with clear party affiliation.



Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand that in nonpartisan elections, party labels do not appear on the ballot. Step 2: Option B is incorrect because it states that candidates must be identified by party, which contradicts the definition of nonpartisan. Step 3: Option C is incorrect because it requires nomination by a major party, which again is not necessary in nonpartisan contests. Step 4: Option A is not correct because most state legislators are elected in clearly partisan elections. Step 5: Option D correctly states that many school and city officers are chosen through nonpartisan elections.



Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by looking at how local elections are conducted in many regions. School board members, city council members and some judges are often elected in nonpartisan elections. In these ballots, only candidate names appear without party designations, which is a classic example of nonpartisan practice.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Most state senators are chosen in this way: State senators are typically elected on party tickets, so this is incorrect.
- Successful candidates must be identified by party: This describes partisan elections, not nonpartisan ones.
- Successful candidates must be nominated by a major party: Nonpartisan elections do not require nominations only from major parties.



Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is confusing nonpartisan with independent candidacy. Nonpartisan describes the election format, not necessarily the personal political identity of the candidate. Another mistake is assuming that nonpartisan elections apply mainly to higher offices. In reality, they are far more common for local bodies, school boards and some judicial positions.



Final Answer:
The true statement is that in nonpartisan elections, most school and city officers are chosen in this way.


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