What is the main purpose of elections in a democracy?

• A. To allow the government to rule without consent.
• B. To determine all laws directly without representatives.
• C. To enable citizens to choose representatives and hold officials accountable.
• D. To compel citizens to vote.

Answer: (C)

Elections in a democracy exist to give people a say in who governs and to keep officials accountable. By choosing representatives, citizens authorize them to make laws and run public affairs on the community’s behalf, and regular elections provide a clear way to assess performance and replace leaders who aren’t meeting the people’s needs. This creates legitimacy for the government and keeps it responsive to voters. The other ideas miss this essential role: ruling without consent isn’t how democracy works; deciding every law directly without representatives describes direct democracy rather than a representative system; and forcing people to vote isn’t how elections are designed.