THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND TIMING OF US ELECTIONS

Question 1

How often elections in houses and president

Answer 1

President - 4 years

1/3 of Senate - 2 years

House Of Reps - 2 years

Question 2

What electoral system is used throughout US

Answer 2

Majoritarian

Question 3

What are Mid-terms

Answer 3

Elections that happen in the middle of a presidents terms

Provide a useful indication of how popular a president is

Question 4

How is the president elected

Answer 4

Indirect and done via electoral college

Question 5

What is the electoral college

Answer 5

System to elect president

Each state ( plus washington dc) allocated Electoral college votes (ECV’s) - no of depends on size of congressional delegated (senators plus representatives)

A simple majority of ECV’s needed to win

Can lose popular vote but win election - 2016

Question 6

What is the minimum amount of ECV’s per state

Answer 6

3 - all states have 2 senators and a house rep

Question 7

The organisation of elections is the responsibility of who

Answer 7

The states - they can therefore have variation between other states

All states must follow federal acts and act constitutionally

Question 8

strengths of the us electoral system

Answer 8

Number of elections leads to greater participation

Majoritarian ensures clear results

electoral systems reflects the us federal nature

primaries and caucuses give people power over candidates

Question 9

weaknesses of the us electoral system

Answer 9

Voters often suffer from voter fatigue

Electoral system leads to two-parties and excludes thirds

Electoral manipulation in individual states - Gerrymandering, voter ids

Primaries and caucuses make it more expensive and longer process

Question 10

Who spent more in the 2016 election hillary or trump

Answer 10

Hillary

Question 11

which states use a congressional district method for their ECV’s

Answer 11

Maine

Nebraska

Question 12

What are faithless electors

Answer 12

When electors of ECV’s vote not for who their state voted fot

Question 13

Have faithless electors ever effected an election

Answer 13

NO`

Question 14

What happens if there isn’t a winner in the electoral college

Answer 14

House elects president

Senate elects vice president

Question 15

Arguments for the electoral college to be abolished

Answer 15

Winner of popular vote doesn’t win the election

Exaggerates margins of victory

Smaller states overrepresented

Drawn up by founding fathers when US was smaller and less diverse

Encourages candidates to focus on swing states

Question 16

Arguments against the electoral college being abolished

Answer 16

Normally delivers the correct result

Reflects the federal nature - not just most populated states

No other method was been found

A nationwide popular vote would focus on urban areas only

Faithless electors have nether effected an election