Electoral Systems - Saunders Flashcards
How does the electoral college work
Each state gets 2 votes as they all have 2 senators then however many representatives they have in congress (dependent on population)
E.g California = 2 + 53 = 55
E.g Wyoming = 2 + 1 = 3
The absolute majority = 270
48 states have a winner takes all system
Congressional district system
Nebraska = 2 senators + 3 HOR = 5
- whoever wins the popular votes gets the 2 senators then they calculate who won each district and get 1 vote for each district
E.g trump 2020 - 2 senators + 2 districts and Biden = 1 district
Maine = the same but only has 2 districts
Strengths of the electoral college
- preserves the voices of the small population states
-tends to promote a 2 horse race
Weaknesses of electoral college
-small states are over represented
-winner takes all system distorts the result
-unfair to the national third parties (typically regional parties)
-rogue electorates
Possible reforms of electoral college
-direct election
-congressional district system
-proportional system
The invisible primary - candidate announcement
The candidates formal announcement of their entering to the presidency race
This is done a year prior to the election
Invisible primary - Televised party debate
There are many to debates
Reps Run 2 debates - the afternoon debate (kids table) for the lower half’s of nation polls followed by the evening prime time debate
Little if any serious policy debating occura
Invisible primary - fundraising
Money is the ‘mother milk of politics’ money brings the ability to campaign and advertise which improves poll ratings and brings more money
The invisible primary - front runners
Whichever candidate which was leading In the polls just before the primaries and caucuses began was usually confirmed as the nominee
This is more important for reps than dems
Primaries
Primary is a state based election to chose a party’s nominee for presidency - it shows support for candidates among ordinary voters
They have 2 functions:
To show popularity of presidential candidates and to chose delegates to go to the national party convention
They run under state law so great variation
Caucuses
State based meetings to chose a party’s candidate for president- they attract unrepresentative, ideological and low turnout
Usually held in large states but thinly populated e.g Iowa
In 2016 reps held 10 dems held 14
E.g Bernie sanders had the strongest showing in caucuses for dems in 2016 - 68% Kansas and 82% Alaska
Timings of primary’s
States decide when to hold their p/c’s - parties typically lay down the earliest and latest dates - mid jan to early June
New Hampshire is first normally with no others that day for more prominence
2020 California moved from June to march
Other states deliberately arrange primaries to collide especially neighbour states
2016 ‘super Tuesday’ = 11 states did the 1st Tuesday in march in an attempt to block off southerners to increase their importance
New Hampshire
Gives candidates momentum e.g Clinton
Often beats front runner of invisible primary
Candidates now famous e.g 2008 Obama and McCain on front of times magazine this leads to fundraising e.g Obama got 50m In donations
Iowa
Unrepresentative and low turnout
Wyoming = 2180 turnout
Success for ideological candidates e.g sanders 2016/2020
Iowa is now a swing state so is a good representation of November election