Elections and Voting in America Quiz

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  • Created by: Hannah
  • Created on: 26-05-13 11:53
What are the constitutional requirements to be president of USA?
Natural born American citizen, at least 35 years old, residency qualification of 14 years and limited to 2 terms
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What extra requirements would be helpful for a presidential qualification?
Political experience, major party endorsement, personal characteristics, ability to raise large sums of money, effective organisation, oratical skills, telegenic and sound and relavent policies
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Explain what is meant by the 'invisible primary'?
Period between candidates declaring an intention to run for the presidency and first contests of the primary season
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What are primaries and caucuses?
Primaries = state based election to choose a party's candidate for the presidency, Caucuses = state based series of meetings for the selection of the presidential candidate
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Explain the term 'Super Tuesday'?
A Tuesday in early Feb whe a number of states coincide their presidential primaries in order to try to gain influence for their region in the selection of major party presidential candidates
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Explain the term 'Front Loading'?
An increasing number of states schedule their presidential primaries/ caucuses earlier in the cycle to increase importance of their state in choosing presidential candidates
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Explain the term the McGovern-Fraser Commission?
Established by the Democratic party following the 1968 election to recommend reforms to the presidential nomination process
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Explain what is meant by the term 'peer review'?
Peer review is when the presidential candidates were largely selected by other professional politicians - the judgement of one's colleagues or equals
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What are the proposed reforms to the presidential primary system?
Regional Primaries, Weighted votes for elected politicians at national party convention and pre-primary mini convention
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Why did Hillary Clinton lose the 2008 Democratic nomination?
Poor organisation and management, lost the money primary, defeated in Iowa, America wanted change not experience, no plan past Super Tuesday, Bill Clinton reminded everyone what they didn't like about the Clinton years as well as nature of primaries
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What are the formal functions of National Party Conventions?
Choosing presidential candidates, choose VP candidate and decide party platform
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What are the informal functions of National Party Conventions?
Promoting party unity, enthusing the party faithful and enthusing the ordinary voter
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What reforms were there to campaign finance in 1974?
Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) - to reduce a candidate's reliance on a few very wealthy donors and equalise money spent by 2 parties
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What reforms were there to campaign finance in 2000?
Bipartisan Reform Act - soft money banned and introduced individual limits on contributions to individual candidates or candidate committees
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What role do TV commercials play in the presidential campaign?
Introduce the candidate (Eisenhower), negative commercials can backfire, humour is often used and can draw attention to broken promise of the incumbent
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What is the potential importance of televised presidential debates?
Unlikely to change minds but can turn passive voters into active voters and can draw attention to major issues e.g. Reagan and his age
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What factors explain the way Americans vote for their president?
Party affiliation, gender, race, religion, age, wealth, geographic region, population area and policies
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Why did Obama win in 2008?
Two-term itch, George W. Bush's falling ratings, Americans wanted change, economy, Palin effect and his campaign (e.g. better team and more money)
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How does the Electoral College work?
Number of votes each state holds is equal to the number of seats they hold in Congress, absolute majority must be won (270 votes), usually 'winner takes all' and VP announces the winner
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What problems are there with the Electoral College?
Smaller states are underrepresented, winner takes all system distorts results, unfair to third parties and 'Rogue electors'
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What reforms are suggested to the Electoral College?
Maine System, Allocation of votes proportional to popular vote, Automatic Plan and Direct Election Plan
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What are the constitutional requirements to be a member of Congress?
House = at least 25, citizen of at least 7yrs and resident of the statethey represent. Senate = at least 30, citizen for at least 9 yrs and a resident of the state they represent
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What is the locality rule?
A state law that requires members of the House to be resident within the congressional district that they represent
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Explain the term 'coattails effect'?
The effect of a strong candidate for a aprty at the top of the ticket helping other candidates of the same party to get elected at the same time
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What is ticket splitting?
The practise of voting for candidates of 2 or more parties for difference offices at the same elections
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What usually happens to the president's party in mid-terms?
Number of seats decreases - average is to loose 29 House seats and 4 Senate seats
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What is a proposition?
A mechanism, commonly known as an initiative, by which citizens of a state can place proposed laws on the state ballot
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Name an example of a passed and defeated proposition from 2008?
Passed = California's Proposition 8 (ban same-sex marriage). Defeated = would have required under 18s to inform their parents before getting an abortion in California
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Name the advantages of propositions
Allows enacting reforms on controversial issues which the state legislature couldn't/ wouldn't act on, increase responsiveness of state legislators, help increase voter turnour and increase public interest
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Name the disadvantages of propositions
Lack flexibility, lacks benefits of the legislative process (debate, compromise etc.) and vulnerable to manipulation by special interests
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Explain how referedums work in America?
Stem from something the legislators themselves have done, often changes to state constitution or 'popular referendums' where within 90 days of a law passing, a referedum can be asked for
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What is a recall election?
Enables voters to remove an elected official from office before his term has expired
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Name one advanatage and one disadvantage of recall elections
Advantage = increased public participation, Disadvantgae = undermines democratic process
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What extra requirements would be helpful for a presidential qualification?

Back

Political experience, major party endorsement, personal characteristics, ability to raise large sums of money, effective organisation, oratical skills, telegenic and sound and relavent policies

Card 3

Front

Explain what is meant by the 'invisible primary'?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What are primaries and caucuses?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Explain the term 'Super Tuesday'?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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