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US Politics And Government > US Presidential Elections > Flashcards

US Presidential Elections Flashcards

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1
Q

When are Presidential elections held?

A

Every 4 years

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2
Q

what are some of the key aspects in becoming a presidential candidate?

A
  • Political experience
  • Major party candidacy
  • Personal characteristics
  • NEED LOTS OF MONEY
  • Effective organisaton
  • Telegenic
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3
Q

What are candidates usually, before running for president?

Political experience

A

Candidates are usually VP, State governors or senators

Trump is a clear exemption

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4
Q

What has seen to be a significant aspect of running as a candidate?

Major Party Candidacy

A

The size of the US, and the electoral voting system, mean that without the support of one of the two major parties, you are sunk

A famous billionaire Ross Perot (‘92, ‘96) saw it was very difficult

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5
Q

What are some of the personal characteristics?

A
  • Advantage to be married
  • Divorce hasn’t seen to be a problem (Reagan was with his 2nd wife)
  • Need lots of money (Obama got 69m votes costing $7.39 per vote
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6
Q

During the selection process what can’t the party do?

effective organisation

A

Help anyone

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7
Q

What was the effective method Obama used during his campaign?

Effective Organisation

A

Dashboard - online software used by Obama in 2012

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8
Q

A famous example of a candidate who didn’t organise, finance or run a good campaign?

A

Bob Dole (1996 Republican)

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9
Q

Name a few presidents who were very telegenic?

A

Reagan (actor), Clinton had done extremely well in this area, Obama has presence and is a fine speaker
Trump generates news by controversial nonsense

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10
Q

What is taken place before the presidential campaign even starts, right at the beginning?

A

Invisible Primaries

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11
Q

what are invisible primaries?

A

The period between candidates declaring an intention to run for the presidency and the 1st primaries and caucuses. Critically important for a candidate to gain name recognition, money and time to organise a campaign team.

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12
Q

List the process the Candidate has got to go through to reach the Presidential election?

A

1) Invisible Primary
2) Primary
3) Presidential election

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13
Q

What types of things occur during the invisible primary?

A
  • Played out largely in the media (Hopefully)
  • TV appearances on ‘The Face the Nation’
  • Opinion Polls
  • Staged events
  • Raising money - candidates need to raise enough money to be considered serious contenders
  • RAISE YOUR PROFILE, RAISE YOUR MONEY, THIN OUT YOUR COMPETITION
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14
Q

What are primaries?

A

A state’s primary election or caucus to choose the candidate the delegate (do what they are told) from that state will support at a party’s national convention

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15
Q

When did Trump announce that he was going to run for president?

A

June 2015 (17 months before the election) after several years of proclaiming that Obama wasn’t American

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16
Q

What does each party do to choose it’s presidential candidate?

A

Each party holds a convention (conference). Here each state sends delegates to take part in the vote. In order to decide how the delegates vote; each state holds a Primary or caucus

17
Q

What are caucuses?

A

Serves the same purpose as a primary, but takes the form of a series of meetings at which attendees can vote. Tend to be held in large populated states

18
Q

What do some states tend to do which gives them greater prominance, referring to timings of primaries?

A

Some states try and get a date when no other state is holding a primary

19
Q

What tend to be the typical date to hold a primary?

A

States holding simultaneous primaries. SUPER TUESDAY

20
Q

What is front loading?

A

More and more states were trying to schedule their primary elections earlier and earlier to increase the influence and percieved importance

21
Q

Who can take part in a primary?

A

Any registered voter

22
Q

What occurs in some states when you register?

A

Declare your support for a party

23
Q

What is a closed primary?

A

Only those who are registered as supporting a party can vote in that party’s primary

24
Q

What is an open primary?

A

Any registered voter can take part in their primary

25
Q

What are open primaries subject to?

A

‘Cross-over’ voting - when Democrats vote in Republican primaries and vice versa

26
Q

What are some of the strengths of Primaries?

A

✅Choice of candidates has increased 2000 14 candidates
✅Power of party bosses is removed
✅Participation doubled between ‘68 and ‘88 up to 22%

27
Q

What are some of the weaknesses of primaries?

A

❌Apathy: people dont care. 2016 primaries 28.5%
❌Expensive: Money needs to be raised so campaigning starts earlier. Obama $100m 2007
❌Disunity: Campaigns can become bitter and damaging for the party, leading to the winning candidiate failing to win the actual election McCain/Bush 2000

28
Q

What are the disadvantages of a two-party system?

A
  • Lack of choice
  • Apathy
  • Similarities of parties
29
Q

What are national party conventions?

A

Major political parties put on in the run up to a Presidential Election which officially marks the end of the primary election season and the beginning of the General Election campaign

30
Q

What are the 3 FORMAL functions? (Functions that the convention is supposed to be for, but don’t happen)

A

1) Choosing the Presidential Candidate
2) Choosing the VP candidate
3) Deciding the party platform

31
Q

What are the 3 INFORMAL functions of a National Convention? (Functions which do tend to happen)

A

1) Promoting party unity
2) Enthusing the ordinary voters
3) Enthusing the party faithful

32
Q

Disadvantages of National Conventions?

A
  • Don’t choose candidates or make policy
  • Recent trend for a parade of celebrities
  • TV coverage is down from 46hrs in ‘68, to 10hrs in 2000
33
Q

What are the main factors that contributed to Obama’s success in 2012?

A
  • Incumbency
  • Early and effective attacks
  • Quality of Campaign
  • Mitt Romney and his poor social skills
34
Q

How many offices did Obama have in swing states such as Florida and Ohio compared to Romney?

A

FL: O:106 R:56
OH: O:131 R:40

35
Q

What was the percentage turnout of the 2020 election?

A

66% up from 56% in 2016

36
Q

Why did Biden win?

A

1) Stuck to his message “Govern with empathy and experience in a time of crisis”
2) Quality of campaign
3) Let Trump be Trump, didnt go well for Trump impeachment etc

US Politics And Government (6 decks)

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