Primaries Flashcards
When was the last nomination cycle prior to Primary reforms?
1968
What percentage of the voting age population voted in in the 2008 primary cycle?
nearly 30%
What percentage of people voted in the unreformed 1968 primary voting cycle?
around 11% of the voting age population
What strategy to republicans need to employ to win both the primary and the election?
To appeal to the more ideological primary voters they need to be more rightwing to win the primary, but try to veer back to centre ground in order to appeal to the mass electorate come election time.
Describe a person more likely to vote in a primary?
Better educated, higher income and older
In the 2012 republican Tennessee primary what proportion of voters had a college degree?
Over half
In the 2012 republican Tennessee primary what percentage of voters were under 30?
Just 8%
What are the two types of primary?
Open primary and closed primary
What is the distinction between open and closed primaries?
Open primaries allow any registered voter to vote in either primary, thus attracting a higher turnout than closed primaries which are only open to self-identified party supporters.
Where may the lowest voter turnout in primaries occur?
When the incumbent president is running. Obama was virtually unchallenged in his 2012 primary race, whereas he faced bitter challenge from Hillary Clinton.
What could a low turnout suggest about candidates?
A lack of enthusiasm for their policies
In the 1950s and 60s how were decisions about candidates made?
In some filled rooms by party bosses
Grande Fromages
Why were primaries introduced?
The old method was undemocratic, elitist, non-participatory and potentially corrupt
What were primaries introduced as a result of?
An investigation following the 1968 democratic national convention where VP Humphrey was chose as the party candidate despite not entering any primaries.
Give 2 examples of political “outsiders” that the primary process has helped
Obama and Bill Clinton
How is the primary process seen as a test?
It’s a gruelling test for a difficult job. 1992 senator Tsongas fought back form cancer and so had lighter schedule, meaning that he attracted less support due to being seen as a weaker candidate.
What are the 5 strengths of the primary process?
1) Increased voter turnout
2) Test for the job
3) Reduces power of party bosses
4) Increased candidate choice
5) Process opened to outsiders
Why could the power of party bosses be considered as an advantage of the old system?
They were better qualified to judge them as politicians, rather than judging their campaigning skills.
What are the 6 weaknesses of primaries?
1) Lack of ‘peer review’
2) Can lead to voter apathy
3) Votes are unrepresentative
4) Dominated by the media
5) Bitter personal battles
6) Process to long and expensive
7) Can lead to voter apathy
What is the lack of peer review regarding primaries?
Tests a candidate’s campaigning qualities not their political ones.
What are the 3 formal functions of National Party Conventions?
1) Choosing the presidential candidate
2) Choosing the Vice-presidential candidate
3) Deciding the party platform
What is the party platform?
Basically a manifesto
By whom is the ‘party platform’ decided by?
Platform committee
What are the three informal functions of the National Party Conventions?
1) Promoting party unity
2) Enthusing the party field
3) Enthusing the ordinary voters
How are most delegates allocated?
Proportionally
Who uses winner takes all primaries?
Republicans
What is the difference between a primary and a caucus?
Primaries are an election, caucuses are meetings
What kind of state might hold a caucus?
Small population spread over a large area
Give two examples of states that held a republican caucus?
Iowa, Wyoming, N Dakota, Minnesota, Nevada
What are the two functions of a primary?
1) To show the popularity of presidential candidates
2) allocate delegates to go to the National Party Convention
