Electoral systems- congressional elections

Question 1

Timings of the senate elections?

Answer 1

Serve for 6 years
Have re-elections every 2 years but only 1/3 senate up

Question 2

Timings of HOR elections?

Answer 2

All representatives up for election every 2 years

Question 3

When are elections held?

Answer 3

Either with the president
Or in mid terms
-Always held on tuesday after the first monday of november

Question 4

Constitutional requirement to be in the house?

Answer 4

Age 25+, american citizen for 7 years
Have to be resident of the state they represent

Question 5

Constitutional requirement to be in the senate?

Answer 5

Age 30+
American citizen for 9 years
Live in state they represent

Question 6

What is the locality rule?

Answer 6

Representatives have to live in the congressional district they represent

Question 7

What is the nomination process?

Answer 7

Can be congressional primary’s

Question 8

In senate, incumbency?

Answer 8

Incumbents can be challenged but its rare
-Since 1982 only 8 incumbent in primaries
-Some may switch parties if they loose e.g Joe Liberman lost then won as he became and independent
-Most recent defeat was Republican Richard Lugar in indiana 2012

Question 9

In house, incumbency?

Answer 9

13 defeated in 2012 because every 2 yrs 400 HOR seek re election so often changes in congress boundaries so faces incumbency
-In 2012 5 who lost challenges, 2 ran in districts that have been substantially withdrawn to disadvantage

Question 10

Competitive districts in 1992?

Answer 10

111 competitive districts meaning they were won by test
10% of points in previous elections

Question 11

Competitive districts in 2016?

Answer 11

31 competitive districts

Question 12

Significance of competitive districts?

Answer 12

Harder for party to take control of the house
-Safe seats voting to party whip

Question 13

Significance of competitive districts- Harder for party to take control of the house?

Answer 13

In 2016, democrats needed 30 seats to regain control
Only 31 competitive seats making it unlikely
In the end dems only gained 6 seats

Question 14

Significance of competitive districts- Safe seats voting to party whip?

Answer 14

Democratic congressman Stanford Bishop of Georgia’s second districts
Won 61% of vote so it’s logical to support own party
In contrast- Republican Parello Issa California’s 49th districts won by 5000 vote so needs to appease both sides of voting in congress

Question 15

Does the president gain seats in both houses in mid terms?

Answer 15

-Presidents looses seats in both houses
-Between 1994 and 2014 presidents lost an average of 35 house seats and 4.5 senate seats
-In 2002, last 40 years were only time presidents party gained seats in both houses during mid terms

Question 16

How come presidents barley get seats in both houses during mid terms?

Answer 16

-If positive carried out before 2 years then likely they will do less well w/o president on tiket
-Voters see mid terms as a choice to express disappointment or disapproval with presidents past 2 or 6 years in office
-2006, voters expressed disappointment in Bush, such inability to conclude missions in Iraq, loosing 30 in HOR and 6 in senate
-In 2012 Obama, 63 lost in HOR and 6 in senate