Electoral Process

Question 1

When was the first presidential election

Answer 1

1788

Question 2

How regular are elections & according to what?

Answer 2

Fixed Term act in Article 2 of constitution = 4 years

Question 3

4 Constitutional Requirements

Answer 3

US born citizens
Minimum of 35 years old
resident for 14 years
can’t have served 2 terms already

Question 4

Additional Requirements & examples

Answer 4

Experience
Party endorsement
Characteristics (e.g. gender, race) 
Raise money
Telegenic 
Sound & Relevant policy

Question 5

What are Primaries & Caucuses

Answer 5

2) Primaries are mini-elections to determine the number of delegates each parties candidates will receive at their National Convention.

Caucuses are meetings to determine this instead

Question 6

What is a National Nominating Convention

Answer 6

Meeting held every 4 years to select the presidential candidate according to the number of delegates each candidate received.

Question 7

What is Split-Ticket voting

Answer 7

voting for different parties for different positions in Congress

Question 8

What is incumbency & e.g.?

Answer 8

Incumbent President has already held office for one term

1796 - 22/31 presidents won elections.

Question 9

How does the Electoral College Voting system work?

Answer 9

7) Which ever candidate receives the most votes per state receives the states electoral votes which are determined by the states size.

Question 10

factors determining electoral outcome

Answer 10

money
media 
issues
leadership 
incumbency

Question 11

Examples of Direct Democracy at State Level?

Answer 11

Referendums, initiatives, propositions, re-call elections,

Question 12

7 step presidential election process?

Answer 12

Invisible Primary
Primaries & Caucuses 
Choosing the VP
National Party Conventions 
General Election Campaign 
Election Day 
Electoral College voting

Question 13

What is the Invisible primary?

Answer 13

1. after candidate announcement, candidate fundraises and seeks recognition before voting at primaries.

Question 14

Vice President

Answer 14

Originally done at NPC, now selected by the President as a way of increasing their appeal

Question 15

Key elements of the General Election Campaign

Answer 15

Campaign finance
Television Debates
October Surprise

Question 16

When is Election day

Answer 16

6. First Tuesday after the First Monday in November

Question 17

Example of candidate & invisible primaries

Answer 17

Ted Cruz announced himself as a candidate 10 months before election

Question 18

Example of fundraising during invisible primary?

Answer 18

2016 = Ben Carson - $57million

Question 19

Timing of Primaries; 
Front Loading (e.g.) + Super Tuesday?

Answer 19

Front Loading - early primaries to gain influence - ‘regional primaries’ - New Hampshire.

Super Tuesday - 11 states in 2016 held p&c on same day to gain influence

Question 20

Types of Primary? (closed, open, winner-takes-all, proportional)

Answer 20

Closed - Only registered members of the party can vote in their primary
Open - Any registered voter can vote in either party primary

Winner-takes-all - republican, candidate with plurality wins all the delegates for that state.
Proportional - delegates awarded in proportion to the votes they received.

Question 21

Example of Winner-Takes-All primary?

Answer 21

Arizona - Donald Trump received 45.9% and claimed all 53 delegates

Question 22

Example of voter turn out at p&c?

Answer 22

2016
Primaries;
New Hampshire - 52%
Louisiana - 18%

Caucuses
Kansas - 5.5%

Question 23

3 Factors affecting turnout at p&c?

Answer 23

Demographic
Primary Type
Competitiveness

Question 24

3 Strengths of Nomination Process?

Answer 24

Participation
Choice
Open to outsiders

Question 25

5 Weaknesses of Nomination Process?

Answer 25

Unrepresentative 
Lengthy Process
Expensive 
Media Dominated
Super Delegates

Question 26

Strategies of Choosing VP & examples

Answer 26

Balanced Ticket - Obama/Biden
Party Unity
Government Potential - Bush/Cheney who had lots of experience

Question 27

Formal and Informal Functions of the National Party Convention

Answer 27

Formal;
Select vice/presidential candidate
deciding party platform

Informal;
party unity
enthusing voters
Opinion poll bounce

Question 28

2 Strengths of Electoral College Voting?

Answer 28

Small States have a voice

Promotes a 2 horse race

Question 29

3 Weaknesses of Electoral College Voting?

Answer 29

Small states are overrepresented
Winner takes all - distorts results
Unfair to national third parties

Question 30

Example proving disproportion of electoral college votes?

Answer 30

California - 55 votes / 40m people = 700,000 people/vote

Wyoming - 3 votes / 500,000 people = 160,000 people/vote

Question 31

How Regular are congressional elections & what are the constitutional requirements of a candidate

Answer 31

Mid-term elections

every 2 years (all of house & 1/6 of senate)

Question 32

3 Electoral College reforms?

Answer 32

Direct Election
Congressional Districts System
Proportional System

Question 33

Direct Election System

Answer 33

72% supported idea but unlikely candidate would get a majority = runoff election between final two necessary

Question 34

Congressional District System

Answer 34

Each district is awarded a electoral vote for a candidate and each state with 2 electoral votes for the state-wide winner

Question 35

Proportional System

Answer 35

allocated electoral votes proportionally to the popular vote in that state