Electoral college test – Flashcards
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how many electors does each state get?
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2 (senate) plus House of Representatives (based on census) is equal to the number of electors
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how many electors are there total?
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538
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how many electoral votes does a candidate need to win
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270 - absolute majority
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how does a candidate win a state's electoral votes?
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cnadidate who winns the popular vote in the state get all of that state's electoral vote
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presidental elections are held every __
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4 yaers
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congressional elections (house and senate) are held every __
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2 years
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every two years, __ the members of the House are up for reelection and serve for __ years.
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all, 2
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is there a term limit for members of the house?
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no
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__ of our senators are up for relelection every __ years
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1/3, 2
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members of senate serve for __ years. Is there a term limit?
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6, no
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the US senate is considered a __ because it is a cycle where the house is not because everyone is all in or all out
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continous body
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the election that falls between the presidential election
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mid term elections
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why are midterms elections have lower voter turnout?
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dont think as important, low media coverage, dont think vote counts
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what are the three types of elections?
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primary election, general election, and runoff election
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what is the role of primary elections?
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select parties candidate for general election
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what is the role of the general election?
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follow primaries; where we elect the office holder
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what is the role of the runoff election?
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if no candidate wins an absolute majority in primary, held before general election (normally in South states)
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what are the different kinds of primaries
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closed, open, blanket
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who votes in closed primaries
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only registered party voters
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who votes in open primaries
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all register voters that decide that day what party they will be voting for
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who votes in blanket primaries
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registered voters vote for any party (d: senate; r: govenor)
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allow citizens to vote directly on proposed laws or other governmental actions (24 states have)
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referendum
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allow voters to remove state offficals from office before term is over (18 states have)
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recall
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how do candidates win in a majority election?
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receive 50% + 1; majority system; US does not have
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how do candidates win in a plurality election?
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single member districts have 1 person that represents all in electoral district; one person wins per district; reason we have two dominate political parties (US has)
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how do candidates win in a proportional election?
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competing parties awardeded legislatures seats in rough porrpotion to the percentage of the popular votes cast that each party won
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in what election is it easier for third parties to have a voice?
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proportional election
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seats in the House are reapportioned every __ years based on __ according to the ____
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10, population, census
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reapportionment means to
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redistibute seats
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boundries for ___ in US are redrawn every __ by the states according to the __
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congressional and state legislative districts, 10 years, census
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what does redistircting make sure of?
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about same number of pepole are living in each district
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who controls redistricting
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state legislatures
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after the US census, what group is in charge of drwaing new boundary lines in the states
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majority party
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secret ballot; no longer parties distributing ballots and all are the same is what ballot?
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Australian ballot
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voter supports canddates from more than one party in same election is reffered to as
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split ticket voting
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voters who support only one parties candidates is reffered to as
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straight ticket voting
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happens most when a voter casts a ballot for a party's presidental candidate and then automatically votes for the rest of that party's candidates
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coattail effect
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what are different kinds of ballots
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punch card, butterfly, paper, touchscreen
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registration is taken care of by who?
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state
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what are the three proposed new plans to get rid of the electoral college
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district vote plan, direct vote plan, proportional vote plan
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whoever wins the most popular votes in state gets all electoral votes
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winner take all
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who doesnt follow the winner take all system? what is their alternative?
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nebraska and maine; districts
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what system hurts third parties? why?
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winner take all, no voice
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what are the problems with the electoral college?
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candidate who wins popular vote doesnt necessarily win presidency, violates one peron one vote principle (smaller states are oveerrepresented), candidates only campaign in those states they have a chance of winning (battleground/swing states); larger states have too much importance, allows for faithless electors
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why will the electoral college system probs never change?
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history/tradition, history insures that a majority of electoral votes are earnded by one candidate, no clear alternative consenous, collectively benefits samll states, minorities rights protected in some states
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if no absolute majority is gained for the presidency, who chooses the president? the vp?
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house, senate
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an effort by polical candidate and their supporters to win the backing of donors, political activist, and voters in their quest for politcal office
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campaigns
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what is the first step of campaigns
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organiszw group of supporters to raise money and bring name to media and donors
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what is the second step of campaigns
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recruite advisors and create a fromal campaign orginization
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what is the third step of campaigns
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with advisors, start fundraising
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wha is the fourthstep of campaigns
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polling
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what is the final step of campaigns
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primaires
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do primary or general elections have less people show? who does show up?
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primary, care alot about politics and tend to be extreme
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primary elections are held to choose the __ for their national convention along with choosing the ___
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delegates, candidate
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vote for candidate and electors to represent you at state convention helf from Jan. to June
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caucus
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why are the early caucusses and primaries more important than the later ones?
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help front running candidates secure media attention and financial support
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vote for candidate and delegates
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primary
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try to push their primary ahead of everybody else's to get media attention
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front loading
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the convention is like a ___
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peprally
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what happens at conventions
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offically pick candidate
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what are the three major things established at a convention
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formally certify each party's presidential and vp nominees, draft a platform, set rules that will govern party activites
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who has more diverse conventions
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democrates
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who are generally the delgates at conventions
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highly educated, wealthy, activist
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only found in democratic conventions, not voted for but still vote at convention, big shots
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super delegates
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how has the selection of delegates to the natioal convention changed in the past fifty years/
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we didnt select delegates, now we elect avg citizens for electors
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what are the major consequences of the new way we choose our delegates?
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allows more people to particpate, more expensive for candidates, party bosses have lost control of process
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what is a bounce?
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what a canddate gets right after their convention where their standings in the polls go right up but in a few weeks go back down
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how to republicans nominate their delegates?
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winner take all
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how do superdelegates influence the democratic nomination process?
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leaders are assured role in nomination process (even though not chosen by the popele), party leaders can cast the deciding vote in a close contest, unpledged and can change vote at last minute
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what are the consequences of the republican winner take all primary system?
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shotens time frame for candidates wrapping up nomination (couldwin with just 10 states), affects strategic dicisions (allocations, funds, and where time is spent); name recognition important in early primaries
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when focus on polls not substance
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horse race journalism
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who generally votes
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white males, educated, wealthy
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unformal primary where candidates speak and votes are held almost anywhere
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causcus
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one delegate per district; one winner; third parties have no voice)
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single member plurality district
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opposite of single memebr districts where third parties could send delegates becuase divided by district wins
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proportional
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people get to decide on issues
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referendum
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under the original constitution who did we elect? now who do we elect?
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house; house and senate (not president, electoral college)
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what is an issue that illustrates the gender gap?
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military/guns
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what are three ways we can express our opinion?
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demonstrations, conventions, writing
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views that are prevalent among the general populatoin on different issues
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public opinion
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a measure of how strongly an individual holds a particular opinion
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intensity
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political opinions that are held but not yet expressed
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latency
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an individuals belief that an issue is important or relevant to him or her
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saliency
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peoples understanding of and impact of policies
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political efficacy
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how well people understand the political system and whether they get involved in political activities
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internal efficacy
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whether people believe efforts and ideas make impacts in policy decision
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external efficacy
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whehter people believe the matters on the policy agenda matter in their everyday life
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issue saliency
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agress on politcal issues with a result of feeling that a politcal vote doesnt matter
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consencus
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highly divided on policy agenda or candidates with a result that people feel more convicted about politics and will want to make their voice heard
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polarization
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electoral votes given to the presidential candidates in porportion to the number of popular votes they receive
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proportional vote plan
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what are the things that the proportional plan still doesnt fix
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doesnt balance votes of large and small states, candidate who loses popular vote but still wins the right states could win
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one elector chosen per congressional district, candidate with a maority of the elctoral votes becomes president
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congressional district method
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what are the critiques of congressional district mehtod
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president might not have popular vote, gerrymandering
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most popular electoral college replacement method
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direct vote plan
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what are the critiques of the direct vote plan?
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undermining federal system (dont choose president), more concentration on popular cities, third party increase, president getting majority vote decreases
