Elections Flashcards
When is the US election held and why?
Elections are held every 4 years. Congress set the election as the Tuesday following the first Monday in November.
What is the invisible primary?
It is the period from when candidates announce their campaigns, to the start of the primary elections.
What are the constitutional requirements to become president?
Natural born US citizen, at least 35 years old and an inhabitant of the US for at least 14 years.
What are the unofficial qualifications to become president?
Political experience, have major party endorsements, money and funds, organisation, telegenic, charismatic
Why does the media use endorsements as a measure of success?
Excluding 2016 the candidate who has recieved the most party support is likely to win the party nomination. Voters will trust the judgment of elected representatives and officials. Endorsements generate large amounts of media attention.
Why does the media pay so much attention to how much each candidate raises?
Because funds are used for hiring staff for the campground and opening offices around the country. They send a message of which candidates are the most electable.
Who raised the most money in 2015 invisible primary and was it significant?
Clinton raised the most, trump was out raised by other republican candidates. As a business owner trump was less reliant upon donations - he could donate to his own campaign and was a well known celebrity
What was the value of the TV coverage trump received?
$2Bn
How do opinion polls shape the invisible primary?
Media focuses largely on the candidates leading the polls. In 2015, some republican debates featured a prime time debate for those leading the polls and an afternoon debate for those struggling in the polls called the “kids table”
What is significant about Iowa?
Whoever leads the polls ahead of Iowa most likely winds the nomination. In 2015 due to low polling figures several candidates dropped out before the first primary votes were even cast
What is a caucus?
Is a political meeting of party members
Why was the process used to select delegates for the national convention criticised?
The choice of delegates was dominated by state party bosses.
When and what state was the first to establish a presidential preference primary election?
1910 Oregon was the first state, several other states allowed voters to delegates rather than a candidate
What were the limitations of the earliest primary elections?
Most primary’s were non binding “preference” votes, so delegates could ultimately decide for themselves who to support at the convention.
Why were the 1968 democratic primaries so controversial?
Mccarthy almost defeated Lyndon Johnson at the New Hampshire primary. Robert Kennedy then entered the race for president. Mccarthy and Kennedy won over 2/3 of primary votes. Most primary’s were “beauty contests” and most delegates were chosen at caucuses and state conventions. Without winning a singe primary Hubert Humphrey was the parties nominee
What did the McGovern Fraser commission recommend?
Democrats appointed a commission lead by McGovern to reform the nomination process. They recommend far greater transparency over how states chose their delegates, giving all members, and the public, a say in the selection
In 2016 how many states held primaries?
41
How do primary elections work?
Elections run by the state and local governments to select for an upcoming election.
In primaries who do the voters vote for?
They are electing for delegates who will vote on their behalf.
How are republican and democratic caucuses different?
Republican voters cast a secret ballot to indicate their preferred candidate
What are the three formal functions of the national conventions?
Officially nominate a presidential candidate, they nominate vote presidential candidate, they decide party platform
How and why did democrats change their rules following the 1968 democratic convention?
They responded to the McGovern Fraser commission with a number of changes. They changed caucuses into primaries. They hanged advisory beauty contests into delegates awarded in proportion of the vote
