electoral process and direct democracy

Question 1

electoral system and timings of elections

Question 2

main characteristics

Answer 2

frequency-described as “constant campaigning”
focus- dominated by personalities
format-

Question 3

candidate selection and nomination

Answer 3

primaries and caucuses

Question 4

primaries advantages

Answer 4

primarys-elections help within political partys to choose candidate
types-closed-only reigistered members

Question 5

caucuses advantages

Question 6

debate over electoral college
often criticized leave wrong result

Answer 6

critisism -

Question 7

factors affecting election outcomes

Answer 7

1. money -higher spending candidates have greater chance of winning
2. media
   3.leadership

Question 8

campaign financing

Question 9

for and against direct democracy

Question 10

voting behaviour- what affects voting ( region geography age)

Answer 10

primacy factors -longterm influences on voting
1. racial factors-black americans- traditionally vote democrat- hispanic and asian too - 2016 trump gained hispanic eg 2020 eletion 92% black voted democrat
white mainly republican -mainly men-2020 55% men voted for trump

recency factors - short term influences

Question 11

three ways in which any us election before 1980 can be defined as significant regarding to voting behaviour

Question 12

elections pre 1980s(key turning points in voting)
- realigning elections represent long term shifts

Answer 12

.1 968 nixon v Humphrey
took place - growing polarization
1 . impact of civil right movement - african americans able to vote leading to larger more politically black electorate

Question 13

three functions performed by national nomination conventions

Answer 13

• conventions held after primary/ caucus elections- summer before presidential election in November- nominate partys candidate
  1.gives candidate a chance for candidate to put forward their visions

Question 14

split ticket voting

Answer 14

ability to vote for candidates from different parties

Question 15

abstention

Answer 15

high levels of absention and low turnout - differential absention - explains why some more likely to vote than others
evidence-

Question 16

reasons for low turnout in us

Answer 16

lack of voter choice - only two parties 1.- individual candidates dont have as much support- only motives two main partys views
2. new voter id laws eg in texas -require voters to produce government issued photo id passport - often seen as discriminatory against poorer . ethinic minoritys - producing innaccurate result
3. lack of political efficay - apathetical behaviour - marginalised may not vote feel like their not heard