USA5

Question 1

what is the electoral process?(7)

Answer 1

• announcement/invisible primary
• primary/caucuses
• national party conventions (front loading)
• the campaign
• election day
• electoral college
• inauguration

Question 2

how does the electoral college work? (4)

Answer 2

• each state allocated ECV’s, dependant on pop plus senators/representatives
• election day
• most votes get all ECV’s
• need 270 ECV’s to win

Question 3

invisible primaries…
advantages (3)

disadvantages (2)

Answer 3

• enough support money
• range of candidates
• well scrutinised candidates
• all about raising money
• long cause apathy

Question 4

primaries/caucuses…
advantages (4)

disadvantages (3)

Answer 4

• maintains federalism
• intra-party choice
• genuine party involvement
• more participation
• can be ‘sabotaged’
• low turnout
• calendar effects, front-loading

Question 5

national party conventions…
advantages (4)

disadvantages (2)

Answer 5

• formally announce party candidates
• engage party faithful
• poll ‘bounce’
• TV national involvement
• candidates already known
• TV reduced

Question 6

electoral college…
advantages (5)

disadvantages (5)

Answer 6

• small pop states important
• decisive outcome
• winner gain majority
• promotes two-party system
• works as founding fathers intended
• complex leads to apathy
• winner may not have majority
• winner takes all, not represented enough
• swing states overly powerful
• disadvantage 3rd parties

Question 7

what are the 6 advantages to incumbency?

Answer 7

• name recognition
• fundraising
• gov control
• campaign experience
• presumed success
• risk aversion
• single candidate

Question 8

what are the 3 main fundraising groups?

Answer 8

• 527 groups (unlimited, not specific cand)
• political action committees(PAC), hard limited money specific candidate
• super pacs, unlimited support/oppose but not part of that persons campaign

Question 9

what is the 4 reasons finance reform is so hard?

Answer 9

• supreme court(citizens united v FEC)
• politicians
• loopholes constantly found
• federal election committee, gridlock

Question 10

7 reasons for electoral reform?

Answer 10

• swing states to much importance
• electoral college outdated
• rouge voters
• winner takes all distorts will of voters
• ‘winner’ doesn’t always have majority
• third parties are ignored
• small states over-represented

Question 11

what are the three types of electoral reform?

Answer 11

• abolish electoral college
• expand NPVIC
• apportion electors by district

Question 12

reform for the states? 3 NO 1 YES

for the people? 2 NO 1 YES

Answer 12

• EC retains state power
• protects voice of small states
• ensures all areas of states have a role
• larger states unrepresented
• in line with constitution avoid tyranny
• two party system encourages
• popular vote not respected

Question 13

reform for the president 1 NO 1 YES

for the constitution?

Answer 13

• decisive and accepted result
• encourages more attention on swing states
• electoral college does work
• constitution looks outdated

Question 14

for state funding? 3 YES 2 NO

Answer 14

YES 
-state pluralism 
-fairer to third parties 
-reduce public apathy
NO
-parties less reliant/responsive to voters
-challenge party independence