Democracy & Participation: Election Process 3-8 Flashcards
What are strategies in choosing a vice presidential candidate?
- Balanced ticket: might be looked for in terms of geographical region, political experience, age, ideology, gender, race, or religion.
- Potential in gov: Focus more on long term impact of governing.
- Party unity.
What are examples of a ‘balanced ticket’?
- Biden chose Harris as his running mate in 2020. She is the first female VP, African and Asian, and 58.
What is the National Party Convention?
Attended by delegates from primaries and caucuses, where they formally nominate the president and VP. Also discuss potential party policy.
Why are NPCs arguably ineffective?
- Increasingly presidential and vice presidential candidates are already known, as is the party platform.
- TV coverage increasingly reduced to acceptance speeches.
- It is seen as a ‘rubber stamp’ to policy.
E.g. 2016 Republican NPC took 6mins to affirm party platform despite some questioning anti LGBTQ rhetoric.
Why are NPCs effective?
- Often a multi million media event.
- Formally announce party candidate.
- Engage the party faithful.
- TV coverage allows national involvement.
- Candidates can make an impact with their acceptance speech. Sets out their ‘campaign narrative’.
Obama’s 2007 acceptance speech had almost 40 million viewers
What is an example of a battleground state, and what statistics prove this from 2020?
- Arizona: Biden won by 49.4%, Trump got 49%
Define battleground and Bellwether states.
- Battleground: Result is not easily predictable.
- Bellwether: States which historically tended to vote for the candidate who ultimately will win the presidential election
What statistics show how Battleground and Bellwether states have led to disproportionate spending and campaigns?
- In 2020, 2/3 of campaign events were held in just 6 states.
What % average in national polls enable candidates to take part in presidential debates?
15%
What example from 2000 shown the issue with the election day ballot paper causing issues?
Use of ‘butterfly ballots’ caused confusion which led to the election being decided by the SC. Bush v Gore 2000
How have ‘faithless electors’ caused problems to the legitimacy of the electoral process?
- Only 30 states gave laws requiring their delegates to cast their vote for the candidate who won the state vote.
- Delegates who do not vote the same as their state are called ’faithless electors’. In 2016, there were 10.
How many electoral college votes are needed to win the Electoral College?
270
What statistics show issues with the Electoral College?
- Clinton beat Trump with 3 million votes, but he won 26 more ECVs, undermining the popular vote.
- Trump got an advantage due to high concentration in smaller states.
What was the turnout for the 2000 election?
54%
What was the turnout for the 2020 election?
67%