5.1 Electoral system of the USA

Question 1

What is the process of electing a president (7)

Answer 1

-Announcement /invisible primary
-Primary/ Caucuses
-National Party convention
-The campaign
-Election day
-Electoral college
-Inauguration

Question 2

What is an invisible primary

Answer 2

Usually 12-18 months before election day
-Intra-party competition
-Compete to attract attention, money and endorsement

Question 3

Advantages of invisible primaries (3)

Answer 3

-Identifies candidates that are able to gain enough support/money
-Allows for range of candidates
-Candidates well scrutinised (e.g Jeb Bush 2015 announced and suffered criticism from Trump)

Question 4

Disadvantages of invisible primaries (2)

Answer 4

-Those able to raise the most money, not necessarily the best candidate
-Length of the process can cause apthy

Question 5

Different types of primaries

Answer 5

-Opened, closed, semi-closed and caucuses

Question 6

Advantage of primaries

Answer 6

-Maintains federalism
-Allows intra-party choice
-Caucuses allow for genuine party involvement
-More participation in ‘open’ primaries and caucuses

Question 7

Disadvantages of primaries

Answer 7

-open primaries and caucuses can be ‘sabotaged’
-low turnout in both, esp. caucuses (add statistic)
-Calendar affects the importance of primary, has led to front-loading
e.g Iowa and New Hampshire

Question 8

What is the national party convention- significant roles (2)

Answer 8

-Confirm each party’s nominee for president and VP
-Agree a party platform

Question 9

What is the national party convention- insignificant roles (3)

Answer 9

-Act as publicity for the candidate
-Reunite the party
-Rally party activists

Question 10

What is the advantages of national party conventions (4)

Answer 10

-Formally announces the party candidate
-Engage the party faithful
-A poll ‘bounce’
-TV coverage allows for national involvement

Question 11

What are the disadvantages of national party conventions (2)

Answer 11

Increasingly the presidential candidates are already known
-TV coverage is reduced to acceptances speeches and little more

Question 12

How does the electoral college work

Answer 12

-538 Electoral College votes
-N. dependant on population (+2senators)
-Need 270 ECV to win
-48 states winner-takes-all

Question 13

What are Rogue voters

Answer 13

An elector who doesn’t cast their ECV for the right candidate
-As of 2020, 33 states have laws against this practise
-7 rogue voters in 2016

Question 14

Advantages of the Electoral College (5)

Answer 14

-States with small population still important
-Decisive outcome
-USUALLY have a majority of the vote
-Promotes 2 party system
-Works as the Founding Fathers intended

Question 15

Disadvantages of the Electoral College (5)

Answer 15

-Complex- can cause apathy
-Winner may not have the majority of the votes
-Winner-takes-all format means that the population is not adequately protected
-Swing states are overly powerful
-Disadvantages third parties

Question 16

Third party indirect influence (2)

Answer 16

-The spoiler effect: When a third-party candidate helps to prevent one of the main candidates from winning from winning

-Influencing the policy of Democratic or Republican Parties

Question 17

Advantages of incumbency (4)

Answer 17

-Executive control and experience
-Name recognition and media attention
-Electoral resources and experience
-Lack of primary challenge

Question 18

Disadvantages of incumbency (4)

Answer 18

-Can receive blame over their previous term
-Others can exploit the media
-Money doesn’t guarantee success

Question 19

Constitution requirements of a president

Answer 19

Natural born citizen
-35 years or older
-Lived in the US for 14 years
Has not served 2 terms

Question 20

General requirements (4)

Answer 20

-major party support
-Be able to raise large sums of money
-Charisma
-Experience and popular policies

Question 21

Why is the US a 2 party system (6)

Answer 21

-FPTP
-winner-takes-all nature of allocation of ECV
-Cooption of 3rd party policies
-‘Broad church’ ideology of US parties
-Electoral College encourages the 2 party system
-Federal nature of the USA, Congress could lack a majority and they would be gridlocked

Question 22

How is the US not a 2 party system (3)

Answer 22

-Party discipline is loose and there are many differences within
-Third parties have had an increasing impact
-Some states are solidly Republican or Democrat