Primaries

Question 1

When was the last nomination cycle prior to Primary reforms?

Answer 1

1968

Question 2

What percentage of the voting age population voted in in the 2008 primary cycle?

Answer 2

nearly 30%

Question 3

What percentage of people voted in the unreformed 1968 primary voting cycle?

Answer 3

around 11% of the voting age population

Question 4

What strategy to republicans need to employ to win both the primary and the election?

Answer 4

To appeal to the more ideological primary voters they need to be more rightwing to win the primary, but try to veer back to centre ground in order to appeal to the mass electorate come election time.

Question 5

Describe a person more likely to vote in a primary?

Answer 5

Better educated, higher income and older

Question 6

In the 2012 republican Tennessee primary what proportion of voters had a college degree?

Answer 6

Over half

Question 7

In the 2012 republican Tennessee primary what percentage of voters were under 30?

Answer 7

Just 8%

Question 8

What are the two types of primary?

Answer 8

Open primary and closed primary

Question 9

What is the distinction between open and closed primaries?

Answer 9

Open primaries allow any registered voter to vote in either primary, thus attracting a higher turnout than closed primaries which are only open to self-identified party supporters.

Question 10

Where may the lowest voter turnout in primaries occur?

Answer 10

When the incumbent president is running. Obama was virtually unchallenged in his 2012 primary race, whereas he faced bitter challenge from Hillary Clinton.

Question 11

What could a low turnout suggest about candidates?

Answer 11

A lack of enthusiasm for their policies

Question 12

In the 1950s and 60s how were decisions about candidates made?

Answer 12

In some filled rooms by party bosses

Grande Fromages

Question 13

Why were primaries introduced?

Answer 13

The old method was undemocratic, elitist, non-participatory and potentially corrupt

Question 14

What were primaries introduced as a result of?

Answer 14

An investigation following the 1968 democratic national convention where VP Humphrey was chose as the party candidate despite not entering any primaries.

Question 15

Give 2 examples of political “outsiders” that the primary process has helped

Answer 15

Obama and Bill Clinton

Question 16

How is the primary process seen as a test?

Answer 16

It’s a gruelling test for a difficult job. 1992 senator Tsongas fought back form cancer and so had lighter schedule, meaning that he attracted less support due to being seen as a weaker candidate.

Question 17

What are the 5 strengths of the primary process?

Answer 17

1) Increased voter turnout
2) Test for the job
3) Reduces power of party bosses
4) Increased candidate choice
5) Process opened to outsiders

Question 18

Why could the power of party bosses be considered as an advantage of the old system?

Answer 18

They were better qualified to judge them as politicians, rather than judging their campaigning skills.

Question 19

What are the 6 weaknesses of primaries?

Answer 19

1) Lack of ‘peer review’
2) Can lead to voter apathy
3) Votes are unrepresentative
4) Dominated by the media
5) Bitter personal battles
6) Process to long and expensive
7) Can lead to voter apathy

Question 20

What is the lack of peer review regarding primaries?

Answer 20

Tests a candidate’s campaigning qualities not their political ones.

Question 21

What are the 3 formal functions of National Party Conventions?

Answer 21

1) Choosing the presidential candidate
2) Choosing the Vice-presidential candidate
3) Deciding the party platform

Question 22

What is the party platform?

Answer 22

Basically a manifesto

Question 23

By whom is the ‘party platform’ decided by?

Answer 23

Platform committee

Question 24

What are the three informal functions of the National Party Conventions?

Answer 24

1) Promoting party unity
2) Enthusing the party field
3) Enthusing the ordinary voters

Question 25

How are most delegates allocated?

Answer 25

Proportionally

Question 26

Who uses winner takes all primaries?

Answer 26

Republicans

Question 27

What is the difference between a primary and a caucus?

Answer 27

Primaries are an election, caucuses are meetings

Question 28

What kind of state might hold a caucus?

Answer 28

Small population spread over a large area

Question 29

Give two examples of states that held a republican caucus?

Answer 29

Iowa, Wyoming, N Dakota, Minnesota, Nevada

Question 30

What are the two functions of a primary?

Answer 30

1) To show the popularity of presidential candidates

2) allocate delegates to go to the National Party Convention