5.1 Electoral systems in the USA Flashcards
While the Founding Fathers wanted the public to have control over their government, what did they fear?
That the uneducated masses would not make the right decisions - in the original constitution they ensured that only the House of Representatives was directly elected by the people, with Senators being appointed by the state government.
What safety mechanism did the Founding Fathers insert into presidential elections?
Voters would choose a small group of people who would decide who the president is
What election was introduced in the 1960s?
Primaries and caucuses, in which the public select which candidate will represent a party at elections - not part of the constitution, but has been created by internal party rules.
The presidential elections, which do so much to determine the fate of America and the world, are…
compared to most modern democracies, long and controversial.
Explain primaries and caucuses.
- Candidates from the same party compete in a public vote
- There are separate contests for each state
- Each voter can only vote in one party’s primary
- Candidates compete in a state to win delegates, party activists who agree to go to a convention to vote for a specific candidate
What happened in the 2016 Republican South Carolina primary?
Trump received 33% of vote, beating Rubio (22%), Cruz (22%), and Bush (8%) - in doing so, he got 100% of South Carolinas delegates.
How do both parties award delegates?
Republican primaries traditionally use a winner-takes-all system. Now some states use a proportional system.
Democratic primaries award delegates to candidates in proportion to their vote in that state.
What are the voting rules in caucus states?
- They hold a public meeting and a debate before voting (by standing in a particular group or raising hands)
- Here voting requires greater deliberation and effort
- Turnout tends to be much lower
What types of voters are caucuses more likely to attract?
More radical, active voters.
Which state use caucuses?
- Iowa
- Nevada
- North Dakota
- Wyoming
- Kentucky (Republican only)
What are the voting rules in open primary states?
- They allow any voter to participate in either party’s primary - so a voter can choose on the day to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary.
What a the voting rules in semi-closed primary states?
- Allow voters to participate in a party’s primary if they are registered as a supporter of that party or as an independent
What are the voting rules in closed primary states?
- Only allow registered supporters of a party to vote in that party’s primary
- Voters must tick a box when they register to say they support a particular party, often months ahead of voting
- Independents cannot vote
In 2016, how many delegates were required to win for Republican and Democrat?
Democrat - 2,383 - 2.3 thousand
Republican - 1,237 - 1.2 thousand
What is the day when the largest collection of states hold primaries?
Super Tuesday.
What are the advantages of the primary causes process?
- Raises key issues - political education, competition between candidates tests policies, ‘ideas factory’, successful policies of losing candidates can be adopted by winning candidates
- Electability/proven candidates - Tests ability to raise funds, candidate more likely to win presidency, tests ability to overcome deficiencies
- Voter choice and democracy - especially true of open primary states, choice by social characteristic, increased participation, choice of competing poles within party
What are the disadvantages of the primary caucus process?
- Internal divides in parties - can reduce popularity, negative campaigning, exposes divisions, people can lose faith in candidate, big problem if only in one party has primary
- Timing - voting over an extended time, late states can be disenfranchised, early states influence late states
- Specific procedures - different rules for different states, creates low turnout and excludes certain voters, some states have dubious practices, such as non-binding elections
What are invisible primaries?
Happen before primary voting when candidates campaign to establish themselves as viable candidates to win the primary race - potential candidates try to gather support, gain recognition, raise funds and establish a core staff.
When does the invisible primary season increase in intensity?
As the first primary vote, which takes place in Iowa, gets closer - candidates with high funding and strong support are likely to be viewed as potential winners.
- This season usually leads to candidates dropping out because they lack funding or public support
What can announcing a presidential bid early enable a candidate to do?
‘Capture’ the support of a party faction before another candidate has even declared - Cruz was the first Republican to declare - 9 months before the first primary and year and a half before the presidential election.
What do candidates tend to do in invisible primaries?
Spend a great deal of money, mainly on publicity campaigns, adding to the financial burden of running for the presidency.
Who do invisible primaries provide an opportunity for?
Lesser-known candidates to establish themselves as realistic challengers to perceived frontrunners - Obama in 2007, for example, who used solid performances in pre-voting debates to establish himself as the main rival to Hillary Clinton.
What are national party conventions?
They take place for each party in a presidential election year, usually lasting over three or four days - attended by delegates selected through the primary process.
Why has the role of party conventions, in determining who wins the nomination been lost?
Because of the creation of national primaries in 1968.
