Presidential Elections

Question 1

What is a closed primary?

Answer 1

The state political party will only allow independent voters to vote in the primary if they first register with the political party

Question 2

What is an open primary?

Answer 2

The state political party allows independent voters to vote alongside registered party members.

Question 3

What are the unanticipated consequences of caucuses and presidential primaries?

Answer 3

Campaign seasons begin earlier and earlier and are more costly.

Question 4

What must a candidate do to be successful in a primary?

Answer 4

Align and commit themselves to the ideology of the party.

Question 5

What is a caucus?

Answer 5

A meeting of party members where delegates are selected to support a candidate for a party’s presidential nomination or other party issues are discussed. Caucuses occur at local, state, and national levels.

Question 6

What is the twelfth amendment?

Answer 6

Provided for separate elections for the President and Vice President, and set out ways to choose a winner if no one received a majority of the electoral votes.

Question 7

List 3 arguments against the Electoral College.

Answer 7

It violated the one person, one vote expectation.

It undermines majority rule.

It lessens political participation in “safe” states.

Question 8

List two features of the king caucus.

Answer 8

Is made up of party operatives from state legislatures.

Is a reflection of the emergence and rise of political parties.

Question 9

How was the political party caucus initially used?

Answer 9

To allow a political party’s congressional legislators to decide on the party’s nominees for president.