US Presidential Elections Flashcards
(36 cards)
When are Presidential elections held?
Every 4 years
what are some of the key aspects in becoming a presidential candidate?
- Political experience
- Major party candidacy
- Personal characteristics
- NEED LOTS OF MONEY
- Effective organisaton
- Telegenic
What are candidates usually, before running for president?
Political experience
Candidates are usually VP, State governors or senators
Trump is a clear exemption
What has seen to be a significant aspect of running as a candidate?
Major Party Candidacy
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
What are some of the personal characteristics?
- 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
During the selection process what can’t the party do?
effective organisation
Help anyone
What was the effective method Obama used during his campaign?
Effective Organisation
Dashboard - online software used by Obama in 2012
A famous example of a candidate who didn’t organise, finance or run a good campaign?
Bob Dole (1996 Republican)
Name a few presidents who were very telegenic?
Reagan (actor), Clinton had done extremely well in this area, Obama has presence and is a fine speaker
Trump generates news by controversial nonsense
What is taken place before the presidential campaign even starts, right at the beginning?
Invisible Primaries
what are invisible primaries?
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.
List the process the Candidate has got to go through to reach the Presidential election?
1) Invisible Primary
2) Primary
3) Presidential election
What types of things occur during the invisible primary?
- 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
What are primaries?
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
When did Trump announce that he was going to run for president?
June 2015 (17 months before the election) after several years of proclaiming that Obama wasn’t American
What does each party do to choose it’s presidential candidate?
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
What are caucuses?
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
What do some states tend to do which gives them greater prominance, referring to timings of primaries?
Some states try and get a date when no other state is holding a primary
What tend to be the typical date to hold a primary?
States holding simultaneous primaries. SUPER TUESDAY
What is front loading?
More and more states were trying to schedule their primary elections earlier and earlier to increase the influence and percieved importance
Who can take part in a primary?
Any registered voter
What occurs in some states when you register?
Declare your support for a party
What is a closed primary?
Only those who are registered as supporting a party can vote in that party’s primary
What is an open primary?
Any registered voter can take part in their primary
