Electoral process & direct democracy

Question 1

What are primaries and caucuses?

Answer 1

• the method used to select candidates for elected office
• Are held Jan/Feb to early June

Question 2

When is the US Presidential election held ?

Answer 2

Tuesday following the first Monday of November every four years

Question 3

The electoral process

Answer 3

• Invisible primary
• Primary & caucuses
• National nominating convention
• General election
• Election day

Question 4

What is the first stage of the electoral process

Answer 4

Invisible primaries - when individual announce they want to be a nominee

Question 5

What are invisible primaries?

Answer 5

• candidate announcements
• takes place when candidates announce candidacy to when the voting begins at primaries

Question 6

What does article 2, clause 5 state about presidential qualifications?

Answer 6

• candidate must be a born citizen
• at leats 35 years old
• must have lived in US for at at least 14 years

Question 7

What was the McGovern-Fraser Commission - Democrats

Answer 7

There needed to be greater transparency over how states choose their delegates, giving members and public a say in the election.
- Replaced caucuses with primaries
- delegates were awarded proportionately to the pop vote

Question 8

Difference between primaries and caucuses

Answer 8

• Primaries involve a formal secret voting
• While caucuses are more informal party gatherings that select delegates who turn choose the candidates

Question 9

How do primaries work ?

Answer 9

Elections run by state & local govts to select candidates for an upcoming election

• they are funded and run by the state
• voters vote a candidate but they are electing a delegate to vote on their behalf

Question 10

How are caucuses different to primaries ?

Answer 10

Voters from parties gather to discuss and vote for their preferred candidate

Instead of casting a ballot, ppts group themselves by candidate choice and persuade others to join

Question 11

Republican and Democrats caucus

Answer 11

R - voters cast a secret ballot to proffered candidate then results are reported to media

D - vote with their feet, stand in different parts of the room and vote

Question 12

What electoral system is used in the US

Answer 12

• majoritarian - 2 party dominance

Question 13

When are all the elections held?

Answer 13

• Presidential elections every 4 years
• HOR elections is every 2 years
• 1/3 Senate is every 2 years
• congressional elections occurring fr president are called mid terms and indicate how popular a president is

Question 14

2018 mid-terms

Answer 14

• The Democrats got 40 seats in the House, but lost two seats in the Senate
• Gained control of the House which enabled them to launch impeachment processes and investigations
• eg: House Oversight & Reform committee investigated republican Senate leader Mitchell McConnell for abuse of office for personal family gain

Question 15

Primaries

Answer 15

elections run by state and local govt to select candidates for an upcoming election

• funded and run by the state

Question 16

Types of primaries

Answer 16

• Closed primaries - can only participate in the primary of the party they are registered with.
• Open primaries - voters can vote in any party’s primary.
• Semi closed primaries - registered party members and registered independents

Question 17

Closed primaries

Answer 17

restricted to registered party members

Question 18

Open primaries

Answer 18

Any registered voter can participate

Question 19

What is party crashing ?

Answer 19

Voters from one party support a controversial candidate from another party - 2008 Clinton

Question 20

First caucasus

Answer 20

• Iowa is the first caucus of the season, sets the tone for the elections

Question 21

What is super Tuesday?

Answer 21

• A Tuesday in Feb or early March when the most important states hold their primaries and caucuses to gain influence.

Question 22

How do Democrats award delegates ?

Answer 22

Proportional - ensuring that the allocation of delegates is reflective of the vote percentage

Question 23

How do Republicans award delegates ?

Answer 23

They have more freedom over awarding delegates

Some states use proportional whilst some use winner-takes-all approach

Question 24

Factors that affect turnout in primaries

Answer 24

• Type of primary - open primaries are more likely to attract higher turnout.
• How competitive the nomination race is - in 2006 & 2016 when both primaries had a competitive nomination race, turnout was veery high
• Whether the nomination has been decided or not - Primaries scheduled earlier in nomination calendar will more likely to attract higher turnout

Question 25

National nominating convention

Answer 25

Held by each party in the summer of the presidential election year to formally elect their presidential candidate - July/August

Question 26

Functions of National nominating conventions

Answer 26

- nominate president & VP - decide on party’s platform - unifying the party

Question 27

How did Democrats change their rules following the 1968 democratic convention ?

Answer 27

The McGovern-Fraser commission

Question 28

What impact did these rules changes have on the 2972 & 1976 democratic primaries

Answer 28

1972 - party leaders didn’t get their preference and members did 1976 - Carter won nomination bur struggles to work with democrats in Congress so was defeated in reelection

Question 29

What are super delegates ?

Answer 29

Party leaders who are automatically seated as delegates at the convention and can remain pledged

Question 30

What is a presumptive nominee ?

Answer 30

When they secure enough delegates in the primaries / caucuses

Question 31

What is a brokered convention ?

Answer 31

No candidate has secured a majority during primaries so theres no clear nominee - the last time it happened was in 1984

Question 32

How do presidential nominees try and ‘balance’ their ticket when choosing VP ?

Answer 32

They normally select someone with different qualities to their own - From South might chose South - Older candidate might chose younger - Party unity (Barack Obama choosing Biden with more experience, older)

Question 34

Electoral college

Answer 34

- Only used to elect the president - Indirect form of election - Nearly all states use a winner-takes-all formal - The number of ECV is calculated by size of each states congressional delegation - Maine and Nebraska use a different system to allocate their ECV - A simple majority (270) is needed for a victory

Question 35

Arguments for Electoral college

Answer 35

- delivers a result that reflect the popular vote 2012 and 2020 - Reflects the federal nature of the USA -

Question 36

Factors that affect outcome of the US elections

Answer 36

- Money - higher spending candidates have a greater