Chapter 5 - Electoral systems Flashcards
How often is a presidential election?
Every 4 years.
When was the first presidential election?
1788
Why is a presidential election held every 4 years?
It is laid down in Article II of the Constitution.
What are the 7 stages of the presidential election?
- Invisible primary
- Primaries and caucuses
- Choosing the VP candidate
- National party conventions
- General election campaign
- Election day
- Electoral college voting
What are the 4 functions of the invisible primaries?
- Candidate’s announce their intention to run.
- Generate name recognition.
- Raise funds.
- Gauge public support.
When do the invisible primaries occur?
A year before the election.
What happens at the National Party conventions?
Confirm presidential and vice presidential candidates.
What must you be in order to run for president?
You must be a natural-born US citizen.
How old must you be in order to be president?
35
Who was the youngest ever elected president?
John F. Kennedy, who was 43.
How long must you have lived in the US in order to run for president?
14 years
What Amendment limited the president to two terms in office?
Twenty-second Amendment
When was the Twenty-second Amendment passed?
1951
Who chooses presidential candidates in the USA?
Ordinary voters, not parties.
What is the invisible primary?
The time between candidates declaring their intention to run and the first primaries and caucuses.
What media event is a key part of the invisible primary?
Televised intra-party debates between the candidates.
What did Ben Carson, Republican candidate in 2016, say about the media debates of the invisible primaries?
He criticised them for not “being able to explain something in depth”, being more of a media circus.
What did Donald Trump do to fund his campaign?
He largely self-financed it.
How much did Joe Biden spend in the 2020 primaries?
$116 million
What usually happens to the person leading at the end of the invisible primaries?
More often than not they are confirmed as the nominee.
Where did Trump stand at the end of the invisible primaries?
He was in the lead, 16-points ahead of Ted Cruz.
What is the invisible primary sometimes dubbed?
The money primary
What is the presidential primary?
A state-based election to choose a party’s candidate for the presidency.
What are presidential caucuses?
A series of state-based meetings to choose a party’s candidate for the presidency.
