CANDIDATE SELECTION AND NOMINATION

Question 1

Definition of primaries

Answer 1

a secret ballot used to select a parties candidate

Most common used method for choosing candidates

Question 2

Categories of primaries

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Key examples of primaries

Answer 3

New hampshire is the first in the season

Alabama - Open primary

new york - closed primary

California - non-partisan

Question 4

Advantages of primaries

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Disadvantages of primaries

Answer 5

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

Question 6

Definition of caucuses

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Key examples of caucuses

Answer 7

IOWA - the first caucus of the season

Question 8

Advantages of caucuses

Answer 8

Enables more thorough discussion and debates among party activists - more scrutiny on candidate

No opportunity for “raiding” like in open primaries

Question 9

Disadvantages of caucuses

Answer 9

Length and timing discourages voters from participating

No secret ballot

Attracts more strong party activists and extreme / ideological voters

Question 10

When are the national nominating conventions held

Answer 10

After primary/caucus elections in summer , before the presidential elections in november

Question 11

What do national nominating conventions do

Answer 11

formally nominate the party’s candidate

Hence election is more of a “coronation”

Question 12

What are national nominating conventions characterised by

Answer 12

Balloons
Celebrities
Interesting headwear

Question 13

Tv coverage of national nominating conventions often shows delegates wearing what

Answer 13

Hats featuring the party’s symbols

Question 14

Where are national nominating conventions often held

Answer 14

Swing states

Question 15

the national nominating conventions gives the candidate the chance to do what

Answer 15

Put forward their ideas and vision and to energise their party

Question 16

In theory what would it lead to if there is no clear winner of primaries going into a national nominating convention

Answer 16

A “Brokered convention”

Question 17

What does a national nominating convention lead to

Answer 17

Short term boost in the poll ratings and greater momentum for the candidate

Question 18

Was there a bounce in poll ratings after the 2020 national nominating conventions

Answer 18

nor trump or biden recieved a boost

Question 19

Which primaries and caucuses hold the highest power

Answer 19

The earliest ones influence the most

Question 20

What is super tuesday and an example

Answer 20

A day in march where many states hold primaries on the same day

3 march in 2020 had 14 states democrat primaries

Question 21

What are invisible primaries

Answer 21

When candidates announce their intention to run and start to build a campaign

Question 22

What are “super delegates”!

Answer 22

In the democrats party

Senior party members who vote at the national nominating convention

Question 23

Advantages of the primary/caucus system

Answer 23

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

Question 24

Disadvantages of the primary/caucus system

Answer 24

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

Question 25

What are the 3 roles of the national nominating convention

Answer 25

Chance to unite party after the fight to be the candidate

Gives momentum to candidate

Formal beginning of the presidential campaign