Elections and Voting

Question 1

Give 4 strengths of using Primaries in the Presidential candidate nomination process (and where included, give an example to back up point)

Answer 1

Any 4:

1. Increased levels of participation for ordinary voters - e.g. 28.5% in 2016, record high of 30% in 2008.
2. Increased choice of candidates - e.g. 12 Republican candidates in 2016
3. Opens up the process to outsider candidates - e.g. Trump 2016 and Obama 2008
4. Removes power from the party bosses in choosing the candidates
5. Reduces the opportunity for corruption within the party - e.g. Smoke filled room idea
6. Weeding out candidates that aren’t up to the job or the gruelling contest

Question 2

Give 4 weaknesses of using Primaries in the Presidential candidate nomination process (and where included, give an example to back up point)

Answer 2

Any 4:

1. Generally, turnout is LOW - e.g. usually less than 20% (except in 2008 and 2016)
2. Voters are unrepresentative of typical general election voters - e.g. more elderly, more wealthy, better educated and more ideological
3. The length of primaries makes the process so much longer, too long some argue. This can discourage candidates from running
4. Too expensive and media orientated
5. Bitter personal battles cam develop - e.g. Trump and Clinton, email scandal etc…

Question 3

Give 3 strengths of using Caucuses in the Presidential candidate nomination process

Answer 3

Any 3:

1. Hard core party faithful participate
2. Cheaper than primaries
3. Brings early exposure to candidates and ISSUES
4. Still democratic because party members do vote
5. Oldest form of civic engagement

Question 4

Give 3 weaknesses of using Caucuses in the Presidential candidate nomination process

Answer 4

Any 3:

1. Excludes a lot of voters, mostly independents
2. Elitist because of the main type of voter being, old, white male
3. A very small group of people end up choosing the candidate, because of low turnout
4. Low turnout - e.g. Iowa Democratic Caucus in 2016 was 15.7%
5. Campaigning in Iowa is expensive with it being the first caucus

Question 5

Give 3 strengths (or the informal functions) of National Party Conventions

Answer 5

1. Promoting party unity after what can be a long and divisive intra-party primary season. Also gives defeated candidates the oppourtunity to publicly support the nominee - e.g. Clinton supported Obama in 2008
2. Enthusing the party faithful
3. Enthusing ordinary voters

Question 6

Give 3 arguments (specific instances) to say that Campaign Finance Reforms have been effective in US elections

Answer 6

1. In 2008, the Obama campaign made up half of their overall funds through donations from individuals for $250 or less (due to 1971 FEC act capping individual donations)
2. In 2008, 527 groups didn’t spend as much as normal due to reforms surrounding donations of hard-money
3. 57% of individual donations to the Obama campaign were contributions of $200 or less

Question 7

Give 3 arguments (specific instances) to say that Campaign Finance Reforms have been ineffective in US elections

Answer 7

1. Reforms have bene declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court a few times - e.g. Citizens United v. FEC 2010
2. Super PACs in 2012 managed to still raise $828m and spend $500m - this shows a lack of control and regulation
3. In 2008, Obama chose not to accept federal matching funds, whereas McCain did (gaining him $84m, but subjecting him to a spending cap) - Obama then raised $150m himself in the next month alone.

Question 8

Give 3 arguments (specific instances) to say that Campaign Finance Reforms have been difficult to achieve OR had limited success in US elections

Answer 8

1. Candidates want to spend as MUCH as possible and will exploit loopholes and push boundaries to do this - e.g. the delaying of Jeb Bush’s candidacy announcement
2. Donors want to donate and candidates want to receive - there is a widespread belief in US politics that money buys influence and power
3. The role of the Supreme Court has been influential by declaring some reform legislation unconstitutional - e.g. Buckley v. Valeo and Citizens v. FEC
4. Gridlocked state of the FEC (federal election commission) with 6 members and being evenly split 3-3 down party lines makes it hard for them to agree

Question 9

Give 3 strengths of the use of TV debates in a presidential race (and where applicable give a specific example to support the point)

Answer 9

Any 3:

1. It’s the only time that candidates can address the whole nation, uninterrupted for 90 minutes
2. Often very large viewing figures - e.g. The first Trump/Clinton debate had 84m viewers, this broke the Carter/Reagan record of 80m
3. Sound bites from debates are played over and over in the news - e.g. Historically, Reagan’s comment to Mondale about age and in 2016, Hillary: “Trumped-up, trickle-down economics’.
4. Especially important for challengers - e.g. In 2012, Romney was said to have won the first debate as Obama ‘sleepwalked’ his way through it.
5. They can change the whole direction of a race - e.g. 2012

Question 10

Give 3 weaknesses of the use of TV debates in a presidential race

Answer 10

Any 3:

1. They rarely have any lasting impact on the outcome of an election, people have generally made their minds up on who to vote for BEFORE the debates
2. They usually just confirm the front-runner in the race anyway
3. Viewing figures usually decline for later debates (not in 2016 though)
4. Most answers are often heavily pre-rehearsed anyway

Question 11

Give 2 strengths of the Electoral College (and where applicable give examples to support points)

Answer 11

1. Smaller states are able to significantly impact the election result, so candidates are forced not to neglect them - e.g. a Wyoming citizen has 4 times the voting power than a Californian (explain with numbers…)
2. The system requires candidates to focus on all members of the electorate in order to be successful
3. Contributes to the political stability of the USA by encouraging a 2-party system

Question 12

Give 3 weaknesses of the Electoral College (and where applicable give examples to support points)

Answer 12

1. Distorted result - i.e. The result of the popular vote isn’t always the same as the electoral college vote - e.g. In 2000 (Bush/Gore) and 2016 (Trump/Clinton) this can been seen as undemocratic, but the founding fathers created it to prevent tyranny
2. Disadvantages 3rd party candidates - e.g. In 1999 3rd party candidate Ros Perot won 20% of the popular vote but didn’t win a single EC vote
3. Small states are over represented - e.g. Wyoming/California example

Question 13

State the 4 main significant trends in Congressional Elections

Answer 13

1. Coat-tails effect
2. Split ticket voting
3. Power of incumbent
4. Decline in competition

Question 14

State the 3 arguments which can be used to analyse the significance of mid-term elections (where applicable use an example to support points)

Answer 14

1. Mid-terms can be seen as a verdict/vote on the performance of the president - e.g. In 2014, the Democrats suffered heavy defeats in both houses, what did this say about Obama?
2. Losing control of Congress can reduce a president to ‘lame duck status’ - e.g. Bush in 2006 — therefore mid-terms are significant because it is important to try hold onto control of Congress
3. They are not very significant because of low turnouts - e.g. In 2014, it was 36.4%, this also makes them less competitive too