What term describes the perception that voters strongly support the president and his or her policies?

• A. electoral mandate
• B. approval rating
• C. executive order
• D. executive agreement

Answer: (A)

An electoral mandate describes the perception that voters strongly support the president and his or her policies, especially after a decisive election victory that voters expect the president to carry out. It’s about a perceived legitimacy to pursue the campaign promises, not a current measure of popularity. An approval rating, in contrast, gauges how much the public approves of the president at a given moment, which can rise or fall independently of a mandate to implement specific policies. The other terms refer to concrete actions or agreements (executive orders and executive agreements) and do not capture voters’ broad endorsement of a policy agenda.