CANDIDATE SELECTION AND NOMINATION Flashcards
Definition of primaries
a secret ballot used to select a parties candidate
Most common used method for choosing candidates
Categories of primaries
Open - voters choose on the day which primary’s to vote in
Closed - voters can only participate if member of party
Non-partisan blanket/jungle - no party primaries, just a single vote to select the top two candidates who go forward to the general election
Key examples of primaries
New hampshire is the first in the season
Alabama - Open primary
new york - closed primary
California - non-partisan
Advantages of primaries
allows ordinary voters to choose a party’s candidate
Enables outsider candidates to emerge as winners - trump/obama
Preferably to “smoke-filled” rooms where parties decide
Staggered lengths of primary campaigns enables a wide range of states to influence the outcome
Disadvantages of primaries
Adds to overall length and costs of campaigns
Increases the focus on candidates than party
2020’s primaries produced 2 white males over 70, little diversity
Open primaries can encourage voters to opt for oppositions weakest candidate
Definition of caucuses
An informal series of party meetings which selects delegates for national nominating convention
Voting is open, not secret and each caucus can last hours
Used in little states - more rural and less populated ones
Key examples of caucuses
IOWA - the first caucus of the season
Advantages of caucuses
Enables more thorough discussion and debates among party activists - more scrutiny on candidate
No opportunity for “raiding” like in open primaries
Disadvantages of caucuses
Length and timing discourages voters from participating
No secret ballot
Attracts more strong party activists and extreme / ideological voters
When are the national nominating conventions held
After primary/caucus elections in summer , before the presidential elections in november
What do national nominating conventions do
formally nominate the party’s candidate
Hence election is more of a “coronation”
What are national nominating conventions characterised by
Balloons
Celebrities
Interesting headwear
Tv coverage of national nominating conventions often shows delegates wearing what
Hats featuring the party’s symbols
Where are national nominating conventions often held
Swing states
the national nominating conventions gives the candidate the chance to do what
Put forward their ideas and vision and to energise their party
In theory what would it lead to if there is no clear winner of primaries going into a national nominating convention
A “Brokered convention”
What does a national nominating convention lead to
Short term boost in the poll ratings and greater momentum for the candidate
Was there a bounce in poll ratings after the 2020 national nominating conventions
nor trump or biden recieved a boost
Which primaries and caucuses hold the highest power
The earliest ones influence the most
What is super tuesday and an example
A day in march where many states hold primaries on the same day
3 march in 2020 had 14 states democrat primaries
What are invisible primaries
When candidates announce their intention to run and start to build a campaign
What are “super delegates”!
In the democrats party
Senior party members who vote at the national nominating convention
Advantages of the primary/caucus system
Boosts political participation
Allows outsiders to run
“road test” candidates qualities for office - how well they campaign
The staggered length allow a wide range of states to influence the winner
Disadvantages of the primary/caucus system
Increases focus on candidates and creates feuds in the party
Outsiders lack the connection to get in - Biden was former VP
Better to let professionals say how good a candidate will be for office than normal people through the primary season
primaries add to the large cost and length of campaigns - also gives a lot of power to the first 2 states
