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US Government - Paper 3 > Electoral systems > Flashcards

Electoral systems Flashcards

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1
Q

YES - National Party Conventions

A
  1. Maintain party unity
  2. Enthusing ordinary voters to make decisions
  3. Enthusing party faithful
  4. Celebrates the glorious past
  5. Chance to identify rising stars in the parties.
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2
Q

NO- National Party Conventions

A
  1. Few significant decisions made
  2. Reduced TV coverage
  3. Unimportant impression of a pre-planned process
  4. Promoting balloons (compromises) rather than policies
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3
Q

How many electoral college voters and how many to win?

A

Electoral College (538 electoral college electors, 270 to win)

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4
Q

Electoral college votes allocation

A

Electoral College votes = state representation in Congress (No. of Senators (2) + No. of Representatives (1-53))

**Except for Nebraska and Maine which use a District system, the winner of the popular vote gets all the electoral college votes (winner takes all) and the result will be announced by the vice president in Congress in January.

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5
Q

Fairness of the Electoral College

A
  1. Over-representation of small states
  2. No room for 3rd parties
  3. System campaigns only focus on small number of key states
  4. Allow potentials for minority
    y-vote winners:
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6
Q

Over-representation of small states

A
  • Maine has a higher population than Wyoming (1.4 million vs 500K) yet they only have 1 vote difference in numbers of electoral college vote
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7
Q

What does it mean by no room for 3rd parties?

A

It is only bonus votes when the majority parties win the election in the FPTP system

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8
Q

Example of EC allowing potentials for minority
y-vote winners

A

2016: Trump won the election with only winning the electoral college votes (304 vs 227) and lost in popular votes (46.1% vs 48.2%)

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9
Q

Important current legislation on campaign finance

A
  1. McCain-Feingold reforms 2002 (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act 2002) and Citizens United vs FEC 2010.
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10
Q

Why did the SC overturn the BICRA 2002 by Citizens Utd v. FEC (2010)?

A

SO companies can donate to preferred presidential candidates like individuals (through super PACs and 501(c)4) -> judicial review is unconstitutional as it is not a power mentioned in the Constitution

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11
Q

Key aspects of the Bipartisan Reform Act 2002

A
  1. Restrictions on “soft money” contributions in federal elections.
  2. Regulation of issue advocacy and political advertising
  3. Increased limits on “hard money” contributions by individuals
  4. Prohibition of electioneering communications (broadcast ads (TV or radio) that mention a federal candidate) by corporations and unions within certain timeframes before elections (Within 30 days of a primary election or within 60 days of a general election)
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12
Q

What did the Bipartisan Reform Act 2002 aim to do?

A

Aimed to reduce the influence of special interests in political campaigns and address campaign financing issues that had arisen in previous elections

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13
Q

What are super PACs?

A

Independent expenditure-only political committees that can receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, and unions

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14
Q

After which court case did super PACs emerge from?

A

SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission

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15
Q

What can super PACs collect?

A
  • Collect unlimited donations to support candidates or attack rivals with adverts, without directly fund the candidates (but they can fund it covertly anyways)
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16
Q

What can super PACs spend and raise with the purpose of?

A

PACs raise and spend money (including soft money) for the express purpose of electing, defeating, specific candidates they supported/opposed, e.g. ideological groups, single issue groups.

  • A PAC raises money and can directly donate to a candidate but reports to disclose money are required.
17
Q

Two reasons why electing the presidential candidates is fundamentally flawed?

A
  1. Undemocratic primaries and caucuses
  2. Electoral college
18
Q

Why are primaries and caucuses undemocratic?

A

Primaries and caucuses are not held on the same day.

19
Q

Example of primaries and caucuses not being held on the same day.

A
  1. New Hampshire: 5th Mar 2024; South Dakota: 4th June 2024.
  • All the rivals of Trump and Biden had suspended their campaigns already, e.g. Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley -> Voters’ choices are narrowed or wasted because of the time sequence of primaries and caucuses (democratic deficit)
20
Q

How do primaries and caucuses widen participation?

A

Primaries and caucuses engage people to participate in elections to enhance democracy

21
Q

Example of open primaries engaging people to participate in elections to enhance democracy

A
  • Open primaries in South Carolina, Texas, and Alabama - any voters in the state can vote,
  • Semi-closed primaries in New Hampshire, North Carolina, etc. - registered supporters and independents
22
Q

Example of closed primaries

A

Closed primaries in Louisiana, Florida, New York; Caucuses in Iowa, Nevada, Colorado (public meetings in public halls)

23
Q

What can different forms of primaries and caucuses encourage people to do?

A

Focus on political issues and have a say on deciding presidential candidates

24
Q

Two disadvantages of the electoral college

A
  1. Tyranny of minority
  2. Increasing significance of electoral votes over popular votes
25
Q

Example of the EC causing tyranny of minority

A

-EC contains 538 votes based on population of states -> small states like Wyoming = 586K population; larger states like D.C. = 680K population; both have 3 electoral votes

THEREFORE: political power of states is disproportional

26
Q

Example of the EC increasing the significance of electoral votes over popular votes

A
  1. Hillary Clinton had won popular votes (48%>46%) but Donald Trump won the election with more electoral votes (304>227) - some electoral votes in some states do not need to conform to the majority of popular votes

THEREFORE: Presidential candidates win elections without legitimate electoral mandates from voters

27
Q

Two advantages of the Electoral College

A
  1. If it works, do not change it
    - Electoral college exists and works for centuries to achieve a thriving US democracy by.
  2. Oversight on campaign funding
28
Q

Example of the Electoral college working for centuries

A
  1. Protecting minority voices - ensure Populus power of smaller parties would not be limited by their population comparing to other states
  2. Ensure equity of states to have equal power to elect a president
29
Q

Example of oversight on campaign funding

A
  1. SC BICRA 2002 by Citizens Utd v. FEC (2010).
    - SO companies can donate to preferred presidential candidates like individuals (through super PACs and 501(c)4) -> judicial review is unconstitutional as it is not a power mentioned in the Constitution
  2. Super PACs and PACs use donations to support candidates or attack rivals with adverts

US Government - Paper 3 (9 decks)

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