Exam 3 - Elections

Question 1

what is an election?

Answer 1

a political mechanism used to select officials that ensures that the majority rule

Question 2

an election is a manner of

Answer 2

conferring power (gaining power)

Question 3

What do we believe about elections?

Answer 3

that they confer legitimacy on government based in the notion that political power comes from the people

Question 4

why do we believe elections confer legitimacy on the government?

Answer 4

because political power comes from the consent of the governed (the people)

Question 5

what are the 2 stages of the election process?

Answer 5

1. primary elections
2. general elections

Question 6

There is 2 stages of elections no matter what level of office the candidate is running for (T/F)

Answer 6

TRUE

Question 7

what is the function of a primary election?

Answer 7

selects candidates within a party to represent it in the general election

Question 8

NOT all parties participate in the primary elections (T/F)

Answer 8

FALSE
ALL parties participate

Question 9

what is the function of a general election?

Answer 9

selects candidate who will actually fill elected office

Question 10

besides primary and general elections, what other elections occur in states?

Answer 10

policy proposals
recall (removal of office)

Question 11

what is a recall

Answer 11

when you vote someone out of office before their term ends

Question 12

what are policy proposals

Answer 12

initiative or referendum contest
when citizens vote on a policy that may become a law

Question 13

the rules of who votes in the primary election varies (T/F)

Answer 13

TRUE

Question 14

who can vote in an open primary election?

Answer 14

any registered voter
allows crossover voting

Question 15

does an open primary election allow cross voting?

Answer 15

yes it does

Question 16

who can vote in an semi-closed primary election?

Answer 16

party members and independents only

Question 17

who can vote in a closed election/

Answer 17

party members only

Question 18

what is a runoff primary

Answer 18

when 2 candidates have the same amount of votes and another election needs to be held

Question 19

what is a top-two primary

Answer 19

when all candidates, regardless of party, compete in the same primary election

Question 20

what is the end results of a top-two primary election?

Answer 20

two candidates are chosen and those top-two compete in the general election

Question 21

why is a top-two election done?

Answer 21

to get more moderate candidates

Question 22

what states participate in a top-two candidate election

Answer 22

California
Louisiana
Washington

Question 23

what is a king caucus?

Answer 23

Factions in congress get together and decided who they thought should be nominated

(elites choose candidates)
states make decision

Question 24

in nonbinding primaries ____

Answer 24

presidential preference shows

Question 25

name an example of nonbinding primaries

Answer 25

in a democratic national convention, Humphrey wins nomination without winning a single primary

Question 26

what are presidential primaries?

Answer 26

voters in a series of state contests select delegates to attend the national conventions

Question 27

how does a candidate secure nomination for convention nomination?

Answer 27

needs 15% or more of the vote

Question 28

Parties have the same strategies for allocating state delegates (T/F)

Answer 28

FALSE

Question 29

How does the democratic party choose their candidates from the national convention

Answer 29

must receive 15% or more to earn any delegates vote share

Question 30

how do republicans choose their candidates in the national convention

Answer 30

varies by state - can be winner take all proportional representation district elections or hybrid

Question 31

what is caucus?

Answer 31

meeting of party activists to select presidential candidate - when a group of people get together at one location and decide how their representative should vote

Question 32

historically we had a lot of __(1)__

Answer 32

caucus

Question 33

what are the 3 benefits of a primary election, compared to caucus

Answer 33

1. more democratic 2. accessible to most registered voters 3. nominates more moderate candidates

Question 34

what is a benefit of caucus?

Answer 34

people who caucus have the highest level of knowledge

Question 35

what is a brokered convention?

Answer 35

when no one has the needed votes to win

Question 36

how does the electoral college work?

Answer 36

representatives (electors) from each state cast their final ballot to elect a president

Question 37

the electoral college serves as a

Answer 37

buffer between the people and selection of president bc the founding fathers believed that the American people could not select a president

Question 38

how does one determine how many electoral votes a states get?

Answer 38

the states number of voters equals the number of house and senate members 3-55

Question 39

the fluidity of the electoral votes are due to

Answer 39

reapportionment

Question 40

what two states does not do winner take all

Answer 40

Maine and Nebraska

Question 41

you can win the popular vote and NOT win the presidency (T/F)

Answer 41

TRUE

Question 42

what is the magic number to win the presidency?

Answer 42

270

Question 43

Not everyone votes for the president

Answer 43

FALSE everyone votes for the president

Question 44

the presidential election is just one election (T/F)

Answer 44

FALSE it is 51 + DC (52) elections

Question 45

the president election is weighed the same throughout all states

Answer 45

FALSE each vote weighs differently

Question 46

what are 3 critisms of the electoral college?

Answer 46

1. undemocratic 2. elitist 3. complicated nature may decrease voting

Question 47

what would need to be done to abolish the electoral college and use popular vote?

Answer 47

1. requires constitutional amendment 2. requires super majority of states and congress

Question 48

why is the banning of the electoral college unlikely to be passed?

Answer 48

because small states benefit from the electoral college

Question 49

what is the national popular vote compact?

Answer 49

an agreement among states to award their electoral college votes to winner of the popular vote

Question 50

when will the national popular vote compact be into affect?

Answer 50

only when states with a majority of electoral college votes sign the compact 10 states have signed

Question 51

non-presidential candidates win with

Answer 51

First Past the Post

Question 52

the presidential vote is the only vote that has to win 50 + 1 % of votes (T/F)

Answer 52

TRUE

Question 53

how does the first past the post work?

Answer 53

whoever has the most votes is to be declared the winner

Question 54

congressional elections has MORE media coverage (T/F)

Answer 54

FALSE the presidential election does

Question 55

what is an incumbent

Answer 55

person already holding an office

Question 56

in relation to incumbents, how is the system set up?

Answer 56

the system is set up to strongly enhance advantages of incumbency

Question 57

what are the 4 reasons why incumbents have an advantage when it comes to elections?

Answer 57

1. staff support 2. visibility 3. District composition 4. scare off effect DVSS

Question 58

How does staff support, visibility, district composition & the scare-off effect contribute to why many incumbents win?

Answer 58

1. staff support - can engage directly or indirectly to promote legislator 2. visibility - easy access to local media and community events; easy to be known 3. District composition - districts are drawn to create safe seats 4. scare off effect - can fend off challenges from qualifies challengers

Question 59

what are the 4 reasons why incumbents lose?

Answer 59

1. redistricting 2. scandals 3. presidential coattails 4. midterm elections

Question 60

how does redistricting contribute to an incumbent losing?

Answer 60

districts are redrawn every 10 yrs after the census, which can punish incumbents and push them out

Question 61

how do presidential coattails contribute to an incumbent losing?

Answer 61

successful presidential candidates can help carry office congressional candidates into office and vice versa

Question 62

how do midterm elections contribute to an incumbent losing?

Answer 62

when a parties popularity decreases