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Politics Paper 3 - USA > Elections > Flashcards

Elections Flashcards

1
Q

What are some constitutional requirements to become president?

A

Born in the US
Resident for 14 years
Over 35
22 Amendment limited the president to two terms

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2
Q

What are some additional informal requirements?

A
  • Have held some political office: excluding Trump
  • Money/Financial backers helping fund campaigns
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3
Q

What is meant by invisible primary?

A

The period between candidates declaring an intention to run for the presidency and the first primaries and caucuses

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4
Q

What is the importance of the invisible primary?

A
  • brings ability to fundraise and campaign and enables poll ratings to increase
  • increased media coverage and endorsements
  • 202: Biden spent £116 million
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5
Q

What was the McGovern-Fraser commission and what did it recommend?

A
  • the increased role of primaries - ensure PR representation, increased participation from ordinary voters

1960 - 16 states held primaries, 2016 - 41 states

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6
Q

What is the difference between primary and caucus?

A

> caucuses - people attend one of the many precincts caucus meetings -> votes are cast for a presidential candidate (informal meetings)
Unlike primaries, caucuses require active participation

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7
Q

What are examples of states that hold caucuses?

A

Iowa, Nevada, North Dakota

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8
Q

What are the different types of primary?

A
  • Open: any registered voter can participate
  • closed: only registered party members can vote
  • Modified: registered independents can vote alongside registered party members
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9
Q

What is Super Tuesday?

A

A Tues in Fed or early March when a no of states coincide their presidential primaries/caucuses to try and gain influence

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10
Q

How has voter turnout been in primaries/caucuses?

A

2024: Iowa caucus - 15% of the state’s 752,000 Republicans

Michigan - 22% of registered voters participated in primaries

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11
Q

What are the factors that have impacted voter turnout in primaries

A

> Type of primary - open primaries have higher turnout
Demographic - more educated, old people likely to vote

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12
Q

What are the strengths of primaries?

A

Strengths:
> It’s Democratic: the system is open to the public and actively encourages a much wider voter participation in selecting candidates. The process is also open to any aspiring candidate. In this way, little-known outsider candidates (insurgents), such as Barack Obama in 2008, can rapidly rise to prominence and secure a party’s nomination.
> Policy debate: The primaries are often used as a testing ground for candidates to iron out political campaigns.
> eliminates candidates who do not have the political stamina to secure the presidency
> The process allows for rival policies to be discussed and debated, enriching the level of political debate across the country.

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13
Q

What are the weaknesses of primaries?

A

> Primaries add a further layer of elections to the process and some argue that the huge number adds to a growing sense of voter apathy.
The primary electorate is unrepresentative of the population and tends to be older, wealthier and more ideologically partisan
The lack of party control over the selection process can lead to ill-qualified candidates achieving the nomination, due to a lack of peer review.
Early success in the first primaries is considered crucial as a result the primaries have become compressed as states compete to be in the early ‘make-or-break’ rounds
The primary process favours those who have raised the biggest ‘war chest’ in the invisible primary

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14
Q

What are super delegates?

A
  • Elite members of each major political party, who help determine presidential nominees -> give power to those with a vested interest in policies
  • unpledged delegates, they aren’t restricted by primaries result
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15
Q

what are some examples of how super delegates have had an impact on the choice of presidential candidate ?

A
  • Hillary Clinton had overwhelming support from superdelegates before many states even voted.
  • Bernie Sanders performed strongly in caucuses and some key states, but superdelegates created a perception that Clinton was the inevitable nominee, which may have discouraged some voters.
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16
Q

What are the recent decisions in regard to super delegates?

A

2020: not allowed to vote on first ballot, if more than 1 ballot is needed then super delegates vote

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17
Q

How is a VP candidate chosen?

A

chosen after president nominee’s are confirmed - both candidates are usually announced before NC
- supposed to be announced at NC

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18
Q

What are the function of a national party convention?

A

> P and VP announced, policies, promoted party unity, enthused party faithful + ordinary voter

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19
Q

How effectively does the National party convention fulfill these roles?

A

+ only times national parties meet -> opportunity for party unity
+ enthuse members and activists
+ significance bounce in polls
- VP usually already announced, party platform mostly agreed, no conv bouce in 20, 24

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20
Q

How much money did Harris raise in money during 24 elections?

A

1.9 billion

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21
Q

How much money did Trump raise in money during 24 elections?

A

1.6 billion

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22
Q

What TV debates are held?

A

VP vs VP, Pres vs Pres

23
Q

What is the importance of TV debates?

A

2024 - First election debate - 51.3 million people watched
- Biden’s debate performance sparks concern among democrats - potentially leading to his drop out

24
Q

What is October’s surprise?

A
  • Event in oct that disadvantages one candidate that leaves them little time to recover
  • 2024: Biden drops out of us Pres race
25
When is election day held?
The tues after the 1st Monday in the month
26
How does the Electoral College work?
Each state is awarded a number of EC votes that is equal to its representation in congress - a majority of 270 - winner takes all
27
How are Maine and Nebraska different to other states?
- the state-wide winner recieves 2 votes while winner of each district gets 1 ec vote
28
What is an example of the success of incumbents in presidential elections?
- U.S. Senate voters to elect V.P, Representatives - elect the President
29
What is an example of a candidate who one the popular vote, but won the EC?
2016 - Trump won 46.1% popular vote but won 306 electoral votes, Clinton won 48.2% but only 232 EV
30
What are faithless electors and some examples?
- Electors who vote for someone other than their presidential nominee. 2016: Hawaii: mulinix voted for sanders instead of Clinton Texas: 4 electors defected from Trump
31
What are 2 strengths of the EC?
- some argue that the system ensures small states retain a voice in presidential elections that would otherwise be diminished under a purely proportional allocation - Winning across a wide range of voters encourages candidates to build broad, geographically diverse support rather than focusing on only heavily populated regions - More meaningful to win a majority over a diverse range of states
32
What are 2 weaknesses of the EC?
- The winner takes all systems in 48 states. This leads to wasted votes and it is possible to win the EC without a majority vote. - Smaller states have a disproportionately higher number of electoral college votes relative to their population size
33
What are 3 proposed reforms to the electoral college and for each can state a problem with the proposal?
Direct election: Pew research centre commissioned a survey which showed 65% of people wanted a popular vote election -> constitutional amendment could bring about this reform which is very difficult Congressional district system: ward one EC vote per congressional district and two to whoever wins the state overall -> you could still win more congressional districts but fewer overall votes. Potentially could lead to gerrymandering. Proportional system: The EC votes in each state would be proportional to the popular vote in each state -> would likely create more situations of tied votes as more candidates would be likely to enter
34
When are congressional elections held?
Representatives - 2 years Senate - 6 years
35
What are some of the advantages of incumbency?
- the incumbent candidate will be well known to the electorate, which gives them a media advantage. - history suggests that American Voters are unwilling to change unless something dramatic - Presidents can use their position to benefit key voting groups and swing states or announce popular policie
36
What is the coattails effect?
- a candidate who wins an election because of another candidates popularity
37
What is the difference between split and straight ticket?
split - vote for party for one branch and other for another
38
Is split ticket voting more prevalent?
2020: Pew research - 96% - straight ticket
39
What are senate split delegations?
- only 5 split senate delegations (2023) - more paritsianship - one dem and one rep in one state
40
What happened to the number of competitive congressional?
- only 10% are competitive districts - pberall polarization improvements
41
What have been recent midterm election trends?
- saw strong turnout due to issues like healthcare, abortion rights
42
What is direct democracy?
a form of democratic government in which all citizens participate directly at an equal level in voting, making decisions and passing laws
43
What is a proposition and what are some examples?
Propositions: an electoral device by which citizens can place proposed laws - and in some states, proposed constitutional amendments on the state ballot. 2022: California Proposition 1 - explicitly granted the right to an abortion and contraceptives. 2024: California Proposition 1 - reform of mental health provision
44
What are the different types of proposition?
Direct: straight to ballot Indirect: submitted to the state legislature for consideration
45
What is a veto referendum?
Veto referendum: An electoral device by which a voter can effectively veto a bill passed by their state legislature. Proponents of a veto referendum collect petition signatures from a certain minimum number of registered voters in a state A direct question is then referred to the electorate. It is held in 23 states in the USA.
46
What is a recall election?
an electoral device by which voters in a state can remove and elected official from office before the term has expired 2021 - attempted recall of Gavin Newson, governor of California.
47
What are 3 arguments to suggest there is a democratic deficit?
- Electoral college: P can win without popular vote (2000, 2016) - wealthy donors + superPacs heavily influence elections _ Low turnout
48
What are 3 arguments to suggest there is a democratic deficit?
- checks and balances - judicial independence - robust civil liberties
49
Provide 2 strengths of the primary system?
it's democratic, gives the candidate experience
50
Give an example of a 'presidential debate' which have not impact the election result.
- Trump vs Harris 2024 - Harris 'won' the debate but lost the election
51
Give one piece of evidence to show the success of incumbent presidents in presidential elections.
Obama 2008 -2016
52
What is the difference between direct and indirect propositions?
direct - straight to ballot indirect - requires state legislature
53
Provide 2 arguments for the use of direct democracy.
Allows voters to be more educated

Politics Paper 3 - USA (5 decks)

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