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Political Science > Exam 3 - Elections > Flashcards

Exam 3 - Elections Flashcards

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1
Q

what is an election?

A

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

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2
Q

an election is a manner of

A

conferring power (gaining power)

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3
Q

What do we believe about elections?

A

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

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4
Q

why do we believe elections confer legitimacy on the government?

A

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

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5
Q

what are the 2 stages of the election process?

A
  1. primary elections
  2. general elections
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6
Q

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

A

TRUE

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7
Q

what is the function of a primary election?

A

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

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8
Q

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

A

FALSE
ALL parties participate

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9
Q

what is the function of a general election?

A

selects candidate who will actually fill elected office

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10
Q

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

A

policy proposals
recall (removal of office)

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11
Q

what is a recall

A

when you vote someone out of office before their term ends

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12
Q

what are policy proposals

A

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

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13
Q

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

A

TRUE

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14
Q

who can vote in an open primary election?

A

any registered voter
allows crossover voting

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15
Q

does an open primary election allow cross voting?

A

yes it does

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16
Q

who can vote in an semi-closed primary election?

A

party members and independents only

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17
Q

who can vote in a closed election/

A

party members only

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18
Q

what is a runoff primary

A

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

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19
Q

what is a top-two primary

A

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

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20
Q

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

A

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

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21
Q

why is a top-two election done?

A

to get more moderate candidates

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22
Q

what states participate in a top-two candidate election

A

California
Louisiana
Washington

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23
Q

what is a king caucus?

A

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

(elites choose candidates)
states make decision

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24
Q

in nonbinding primaries ____

A

presidential preference shows

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25
Q

name an example of nonbinding primaries

A

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

26
Q

what are presidential primaries?

A

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

27
Q

how does a candidate secure nomination for convention nomination?

A

needs 15% or more of the vote

28
Q

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

A

FALSE

29
Q

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

A

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

30
Q

how do republicans choose their candidates in the national convention

A

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

31
Q

what is caucus?

A

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
32
Q

historically we had a lot of __(1)__

A

caucus

33
Q

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

A
  1. more democratic
  2. accessible to most registered voters
  3. nominates more moderate candidates
34
Q

what is a benefit of caucus?

A

people who caucus have the highest level of knowledge

35
Q

what is a brokered convention?

A

when no one has the needed votes to win

36
Q

how does the electoral college work?

A

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

37
Q

the electoral college serves as a

A

buffer between the people and selection of president

bc the founding fathers believed that the American people could not select a president

38
Q

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

A

the states number of voters equals the number of house and senate members

3-55

39
Q

the fluidity of the electoral votes are due to

A

reapportionment

40
Q

what two states does not do winner take all

A

Maine and Nebraska

41
Q

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

A

TRUE

42
Q

what is the magic number to win the presidency?

A

270

43
Q

Not everyone votes for the president

A

FALSE everyone votes for the president

44
Q

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

A

FALSE it is 51 + DC (52) elections

45
Q

the president election is weighed the same throughout all states

A

FALSE each vote weighs differently

46
Q

what are 3 critisms of the electoral college?

A
  1. undemocratic
  2. elitist
  3. complicated nature may decrease voting
47
Q

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

A
  1. requires constitutional amendment
  2. requires super majority of states and congress
48
Q

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

A

because small states benefit from the electoral college

49
Q

what is the national popular vote compact?

A

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

50
Q

when will the national popular vote compact be into affect?

A

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

10 states have signed

51
Q

non-presidential candidates win with

A

First Past the Post

52
Q

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

A

TRUE

53
Q

how does the first past the post work?

A

whoever has the most votes is to be declared the winner

54
Q

congressional elections has MORE media coverage (T/F)

A

FALSE
the presidential election does

55
Q

what is an incumbent

A

person already holding an office

56
Q

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

A

the system is set up to strongly enhance advantages of incumbency

57
Q

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

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

DVSS

58
Q

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

A
  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
59
Q

what are the 4 reasons why incumbents lose?

A
  1. redistricting
  2. scandals
  3. presidential coattails
  4. midterm elections
60
Q

how does redistricting contribute to an incumbent losing?

A

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

61
Q

how do presidential coattails contribute to an incumbent losing?

A

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

62
Q

how do midterm elections contribute to an incumbent losing?

A

when a parties popularity decreases

Political Science (18 decks)

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