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A Level Politics USA > Electoral Process & Direct Democracy > Flashcards

Electoral Process & Direct Democracy Flashcards

1
Q

What are the three functions of elections

A

1) sort public opinion
2) establish and produce a strong stable government
3) give voters a voice over who makes decisions of their behalf

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2
Q

What’s the function of a primary

When do they occur

A

Shows popularity of candidates
Here they choose delegated for conventions

January- June

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3
Q

What is the function of a national party convention

When do they occur

A

Chooses president and Vice
Decide on party platform (manifesto)

July/ August- early sept

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4
Q

When does campaigning occur in a general election

A

September, October, first week of November

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5
Q

How are sears allocated in the House of Representatives

A

Seats allocated to each stage based on size of population

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6
Q

When does reapportionment in the house of reps occur

A

Following a census taken every 10yrs

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7
Q

How long is the term in HoR

A

2 years

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8
Q

What is the term length for seats in the senate

A

6 years

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9
Q

What type of elections are there in the senate

A

Staggered elections: 1/3 voted on every 2yrs

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10
Q

How long are the terms for the president

A

4 years

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11
Q

How many electoral college votes are there

A

538 votes

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12
Q

How are states allocated votes

A

Based on the population size

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13
Q

3 ways how congressional elections are different to presidential elections

2 ways they are similar

A

Presidential elections are more competitive

Lower turnout

Mid term elections happen at a different time

————-
Very expensive
2 parties dominate - 3rd parties and independent candidates struggle

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14
Q

Give two examples of strong democratic states

A

Oregon

New York

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15
Q

Give two examples of strong republican states

A

Alabama

Oklahoma

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16
Q

What are some of the constitutional requirements to be a member of Congress

A
  • Must be at least 25yrs old
  • must been a citizen of USA for last 7 yrs
  • be living in the state they represent
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17
Q

Define locality rule

A

Refers to a principle that candidates must live in the representative state

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18
Q

Define coattails effect

A

the tendency for a popular political party leader to attract votes for other candidates of the same party in an election.

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19
Q

To what extent do national or local issues decide mid term congressional elections

A

Very influential- in Kansas farm susidies decide votes whereas in Texas and New Mexico issues of illegal immigration are key issues

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20
Q

What usually happens to a presidents party in mid- term congressional elections

What did the democrats do during campaigning in 2006 mid term elections

A

Presidents party usually loses seats in both houses

Voters usually release disappointment in president at this time

——————-
2006 mid term election: democrat party focus on 1) republican incompetence 2) republican scandals 3) events like Iraq war

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21
Q

What is a proposition

A

A statement or expression that expresses a judgment or opinion, a political idea proposed by a citizen

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22
Q

Give an example of a proposition passed

A

Proposition 83- requires sex offenders to wear a GPS device after being released from prison

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23
Q

Give an example of a proposition that failed

A

Proposition 82- tax increase on higher income individuals

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24
Q

Evaluate propositions

A

✅increase state legislatures accountability
✅increase citizen interest in state issues
❌propositions lack flexibility

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25
Q

How does a referendum work in the states

A

Voters can veto a bill passed by state legislatures

Citizens take initiative

26
Q

What is a recall election, give a recent example

A

Where voters can remove an elected official from office before the term expires, eg removal of democrat governor gray Davis in 2003

27
Q

One advantage and one disadvantage of recall elections

A

✅increases democrat accountability

❌demeaning of democratic process ‘buyers regret’

28
Q

Give an example of a republican and Democrat senator

A

🔴Ron Johnson

🔵Elizabeth Warren

29
Q

Give an example of a republican and Democrat house of representative

A

🔴Steve Scalise

🔵Barbara lee

30
Q

3 reasons why congressional elections are important

A
  • popularity test. Popularity of president can he gauged by how his party do
  • offers a guide as to how a president may do if they stand for re-election
  • cause a president to reverse his policies, eg. Reagan forced to soften his economic policies after the ‘86 mid term defeats
31
Q

How do u run in a congressional election

A

1) secure the nomination after a congressional primary
2) run a campaign in your district or state
3) defeat the candidate from the other party

32
Q

Why do some people split ticket vote

A

People vote for candidates from different political parties for different voters offices

Some people do it deliberately as a form of checks and balances

33
Q

What are the statistics that show that number of competitive seats have fallen

A

1992= 111 races decided by a margin of less than 10 percent

2004= 31 seats decided by a margin of less than 10 percent

34
Q

What mainly influences voting in congressional elections

A

Voters cast their ballots upon local issues

Eg Kansas farm subsidies
New Mexico- illegal immigration

35
Q

Define invisible primary

A

A stage which runs up to the first formal primary in the USA, candidates position themselves to run for the presidency with the purpose to gain media coverage and secure funding

36
Q

When did Obama announce candidacy

A

Almost a year before the first primary

37
Q

Define front loading

A

When states have their primaries as early as possible

38
Q

Why are early primaries important

A

To signal to the nation which candidates are popular, this is known as the bandwagon effect

39
Q

Evaluate front loading

A

Pros= endorsement from party leaders have a stronger effect
- high pressure so are a good test of who would make a good president

Cons= early momentum must be generated going into supper Tuesday
-candidates are not able to build on thief success due to little time

40
Q

What did bill brock say in relation to front-loading

A

‘Over before they begun’

41
Q

Define primary

A

An election to choose a candidate for elective office

42
Q

What is a caucus

A

A meeting for the selection of a party’s candidate for elective office

43
Q

What is the function of a caucus

A

Local party members meet to discuss a candidate

Debate issues, choose delegates for the national party convention

44
Q

Compare turnouts at a caucus

A

Iowa 2012 6.5% of eligible voters turned out

45
Q

What is the function of a primary

A

Show popularity of presidential candidates

-choose delegates to go to national party convention

46
Q

3 advantages of primaries

A
  • there is a significant choice of candidates to choose from so all members of the broad political parties are represented
  • gruelling race is a fitting test for the demanding job of presidency
  • weighting the votes of elected politicians at national party conventions would allow for ‘peer review’
47
Q

3 disadvantages of primaries

A
  • primary and caucus voters are unrepresentative of the voting age population
  • very expensive, need to raise a lot of money (front loading)
  • widespread voter apathy and boredom
48
Q

what happens at a national party convention

A

1) choose the partys presidential candidate
2) party platform
3) choose a vice president

49
Q

give an example of a republican convention

A

2016- cleveland:

  • trump and pence
  • 2,500 delegates attended
50
Q

give an example of a democrat convention

A

2008- colorado

-nominated obama and biden

51
Q

what are some of the formal and informal functions of the national party convention

A 
formal:
-choosing president and vp 
-party platform
informal:
-promoting party unity 
-enthusing the party faithful
-inroduce the future rising stars of the party
52
Q

why do we have an electoral college rather than a national vote

A

written in the us constitution by the founding fathers

-due to tradition from when the state would have to go and declare how they voted (ride in on a horse)

53
Q

how many electoral college votes in california

A

55

54
Q

how many electoral college votes in vermont, north alaska

A

3

55
Q

what are college votes based on

A

population size

56
Q

how many votes must candidates aquire to win

A

270 of the 538 available

57
Q

what is the role of electors

A

formally make the decision on the person to become presidential candidate
send votes to VP to e counted early jan

58
Q

what happens if no candidate wins a majority

A

president would be elected by the house of representatives who would choose from top 3

if no majority here, they would go to the senate

59
Q

should the electoral college system be replaced

A

YES:
-suppresses the popular will, allows a candidate to win presidency despite winning a minority of votes across the country as a whole
-some votes count more than others
-small states are overrepresented
NO_
-importance of federalism
-cohesiveness- president has to win votes from a variety of states
-two party system voters have a clear cut choice

60
Q

compare population and ecv in california and wyoming

A

california has 55 ECV and 38 million people
wyoming has 3 ECV and half a million people
UNPROPORTIONAL

A Level Politics USA (3 decks)

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