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A2 Politics > Elections and Voting - P1 > Flashcards

Elections and Voting - P1 Flashcards

1
Q

When do presidential elections occur?

A
  1. every 4 years

2. on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November

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2
Q

What are the requirements for being president?

A
  1. be a natural born US citizen
  2. be at least 35
  3. been a resident in the US for at least 14 years
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3
Q

Name the 7 stages of presidential elections

A
  1. invisible primary
  2. primaries and caucuses
  3. choosing VP candidates
  4. national conventions
  5. general election campaign
  6. election day
  7. electoral college
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4
Q

What is the function of the

invisible primary

A
  • announce candidacy
  • increase name recognition
  • money-raising and organising
  • intra-party televised debates
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5
Q

What is the function of the

primaries and caucuses

A
  • show popularity of candidate

- choose delegates to attend the National Party Conventions

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6
Q

What is the function of the

choosing of the VP

A
  • presidential candidates announce their choice of running mate
  • balancing the ticket
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7
Q

What is the function of the

National Party Convention

A
  • confirm presidential and vice-presidential candidates
  • approve party platform
  • acceptance speech delivered by president
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8
Q

What is the function of the

general election campaign

A
  • raise awareness + support
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9
Q

What is the function of the

election day

A
  • registered voters go to the polls
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10
Q

What is the function of the

electoral college

A
  • electors vote in state capitals to choose president and vice-president
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11
Q

Define invisible primary

A

The period between when a candidate announces their bid for public office and when the actual primaries take place. In this period candidates try to gain funds and recognition in order to show political strength.

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12
Q

Name 5 things candidates do during the invisible primaries.

A
  1. start fundraising
  2. put together a prospective campaign staff
  3. try to get coverage in serious newspapers (e.g the Washington Post) or TV programs like NewsHour
  4. set up exploratory committees
  5. formally announce their candidacy for the presidency
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13
Q

Give an example demonstrating that invisible primaries are starting earlier.

A 
1960 = JFK announced he was running for president 66 days before the first primary 
2008 = Obama announced he was running for president 332 days before the first primary
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14
Q

Why are invisible primaries important?

A
  1. primary season is now very short

2. elections are now more expensive, so fundraising is very important

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15
Q

Give a piece of evidence proving that invisible primaries are one of the most important stages.

A

Since 1998, the Republicans have nominated as their candidate the person who was ahead in the opinion polls at the end of the invisible primary on 6 out of 7 occasions.

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16
Q

What is a presidential primary?

A

An election to select a party’s candidate for the presidency

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17
Q

What is a caucus?

A

A meeting to select a party’s candidate for the presidency

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18
Q

What are the two main functions of a presidential primary?

A
  1. to show the popularity of the candidates

2. to choose delegates to go to the National Party Conventions

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19
Q

What are the different types of primary?

A 
1. open primary
OR
2. closed primary 
3. proportional primary 
OR 
4. winner takes all primary
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20
Q

What is a closed primary?

A

when only voters registered with the party can vote

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21
Q

What is an open primary?

A

when every registered voter can vote, regardless of party affiliation

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22
Q

What is front loading?

A

Front loading is the phenomenon by which states schedule their presidential primaries or caucuses earlier in the cycle in an attempt to increase their importance in the choosing of candidates.

23
Q

What is super Tuesday?

A

Super Tuesday is a day, often in early February, when a large number of states hold their primaries or caucuses

24
Q

Give a piece of evidence that primaries are getting held earlier.

A

The number of states holding their primaries or caucuses before the end of March increased from 11 in 1980 to 42 by 2008.

25
Q

Give 4 advantages of primaries.

A
  1. increased levels of participation and interest by ordinary voters
  2. Opening up process to ‘outsider’ candidates
  3. Increasing choice of candidates
  4. Eliminating candidates not up to the gruelling contest
26
Q

Give 4 disadvantages of primaries.

A
  1. Low turnout
  2. Lacks significant input from professional politicians, with too much power being given to ordinary voters
  3. Bitter personal battles can develop
  4. Too expensive and media orientated
27
Q

Name 4 proposals of reform.

A
  1. A national primary
  2. A series of 4 regional primaries
  3. States voting in order of size of population, beginning with the smallest
  4. further limits on money-raising and spending
28
Q

Name 4 problems with these possible reforms.

A
  1. The National Committees and Conventions of both parties would have to agree to the same reform
  2. All 50 states would have to agree to change their state laws
  3. A number of states strongly favour the current system over any of the proposals above
  4. Further limits on fund raising would require an Act of Congress, which would be deemed unconstitutional by the SC.
29
Q

What is a National Party Convention?

A

A National Party Convention is a meeting held once every 4 years by each party to confirm its presidential and vice-presidential candidates and finalise a party platform.

30
Q

What are the formal functions of the National Convention?

A
  1. to choose the presidential candidate ( merely confirms outcome of primaries)
  2. to choose the VP candidate (merely confirms choice of candidate)
  3. to decide on the party platform (but contentious issues aren’t debated)
31
Q

How does a president aim to ‘balance the ticket’

A

by picking a running-mate who is different to them in terms of ;

  1. geographic region/ origin
  2. political experience
  3. age
  4. gender/race/religion
32
Q

What is the party platform?

A

The party platform is the statement of a party’s policies for an upcoming presidential election.

33
Q

What are the three informal functions of conventions?

A
  1. promote party unity
  2. to enthuse the party faithful
  3. to enthuse ordinary voters
34
Q

How is the party platform decided?

A
  • platform committee hold hearings around the country during the first 6 months of the election year
  • put into a policy document, overseen by the national committee
  • draft party platform presented to delegates at the beginning of the convention and aspects debated
35
Q

Give 4 arguments for National Conventions being obsolete.

A
  1. presidential candidates are chosen at the primaries
  2. VP candidates are chosen by the president
  3. debates on party platform are scripted and sanitised and devoid of controversy
  4. much less media coverage than previously
36
Q

Give 3 arguments for National Conventions remaining important.

A
  1. promote party unity
    - wounds created in primaries can be healed/ defeated candidates can back winner publicly
  2. enthuse the party faithful
    - important that party are convinced the candidate is strong, as they will be organising and communicating with ordinary voters
  3. enthusing ordinary voters
    - first opportunity for candidate to address voters/ display presidential qualities/ boost their opinion poles
37
Q

Give 4 arguments for televised presidential debates remaining important.

A
  1. The only time the presidential candidates get to address American voters unfiltered for 90 minutes at a time.
  2. Large audience which could swing votes.
  3. Content or ‘sound bites’ used later in the campaign
  4. Especially important for challengers who can scrutinise incumbents past record
38
Q

Give 4 arguments for televised presidential debates becoming obsolete.

A
  1. Rarely have any lasting impact of the outcome of the election
  2. Style is more important than content –> results in pre-rehearsed answers, not actually debating
  3. Usually only confirm the position of the frontrunner
  4. Figures usually decline for later debates
39
Q

What is a congressional election?

A

Elections held every 2 years for the whole of the House of Representatives and 1/3 of the Senate

40
Q

What is a mid-term election?

A

Mid-term elections are the elections for the whole of the House of Representatives and 1/3 of the senate that occur
midway through the president’s 4 year term.

41
Q

What is a congressional district?

A

A congressional district is a geographical division of a state from which a member of the House of Representatives is elected.

42
Q

What is the locality rule?

A

The locality rule is a state law that requires members of the House of Representatives to be resident within the congressional district they represent.

43
Q

Name the 6 patterns seen in congressional elections

A
  1. primaries
  2. coat-tails effect
  3. split-ticket voting
  4. the power of incumbency
  5. decline in competitive races in House elections
  6. loss of seats in mid-term elections for the president’s party
44
Q

What is a proposition?

A

A proposition is a mechanism by which citizens of a state can place proposed laws, and in some states proposed constitutional amendments, on a state ballot.

45
Q

What are the two types of proposition?

A
  1. Direct propositions

2. Indirect propositions

46
Q

What are direct propositions?

A

proposals that qualify go directly on the ballot

47
Q

What are indirect propositions?

A

proposals are submitted to the state legislature, which decides on further action

48
Q

Give 3 advantages of propositions.

A
  1. Provide a way of enacting reforms on controversial issues that state legislatures are often unwilling or unable to act on.
  2. They increase the responsiveness and accountability of state legislators.
  3. They increase citizen interest in state issues and may also encourage participation in pressure groups or increased turnout.
49
Q

Give 3 disadvantages of propositions.

A
  1. Lack the flexibility of the legislative process
  2. Vulnerable to manipulation by special interests
  3. Tyranny of the majority
50
Q

What is a referendum?

A

An electoral device, available in all 50 states, by which voters can veto a bill passed by the state legislator.

51
Q

Give 2 examples of laws which often need a referendum to be approved.

A
  1. Changes to the state constitution

2. Changes in state tax

52
Q

What is a recall election?

A

Recall election = a procedure that enables voters in a state to remove an elected official from office before their term has expired (similar to a direct form of impeachment)

53
Q

Give an example of a recent recall election.

A
  • Scott Walker
  • Wisconsin State Governor
  • June 2012
  • Walker won the election

A2 Politics (8 decks)

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