NPC’s

Question 1

When are NPC’s usually held?

Answer 1

in July/August

Question 2

What is the formal purpose of NPC’s?

Answer 2

• Selecting the presidential & vice presidential candidates (confirming the decisions made in primaries)
• To have the party agree to a party platform

Question 3

How long does a convention usually last for?

Answer 3

3 - 4 days

Question 4

What is the informal purpose of NPC’s?

Answer 4

• To promote party unity
• Enthusing the party faithful (the attendees)
• Enthusing ordinary voters

Question 5

Why are NPC’s important?

Answer 5

• Tradition: a powerful demonstration of democracy that illustrates the peaceful transfer or maintenance of power
• Resolving party dissonance after an overt show of disunity, promoting party unity
• An opportunity to enthuse the party faithful (greater campaigning)
• Introduce presidential candidates to the public, delivery of acceptance speech can lead to a significant bounce in the polls
• Many voters don’t tune into the election until the NPC’s start then they begin their real consideration

Question 6

Why aren’t NPC’s important?

Answer 6

• Make few (if any) significant decisions, merely confirm decisions made in the primaries that we already know about, lost element of surprise = unnecessary
• TV coverage has become much reduced
• Ordinary voters don’t see them as important
• Those held when the party is nominating the incumbent president can be devoid of any real significance
• More balloons, celebrities & extravagance than policy debate & presentation