Summary
Summary of key points elections in the USA- A-level Government and Politics
- Module
- USA elections
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Revision material when studying the USA in A-level Government and Politics, useful for exam revision.
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The conventions choose the presidential candidate in a roll- These conventions have both informal and formalThe time before a primary when someone
call vote, in which each state’s delegates announce who they functions.
announces their running for the presidency, they
Formal functions:
vote for. Most of the delegates will come to these Choosing the party’s presidential candidate
should aim to get name recognition in
conventions as committed delegates, meaning they come to newspapers, show up on tv, and raise lots of
Choosing the party’s vice-presidential candidate
these conventions committed to who they are going to vote Deciding the party platform money
for. Therefore, the ballot for who is going to be the Informal functions:
presidential candidate will already be known. This can be the Promoting party unity
Enthusing the party faithful
most important formal function. Enthusing ordinary voters
Oneconventions
of the most can
important informal functions of Invisible primary
Party also show a boost in
NPC
the is promoting
opinion partyis unity
polls which known and
as enthusing
the Candidate announcements- the incumbent will normally
ordinary voters. Harris and
‘post-convention bounce’. However, Biden had
theto come announce their run for a second term mid-way through
together during the NPC in order
importance of these can be exaggerated to show a united their first term.
infront
2020to the country
Biden only hadand a 1% voters. Many
increase inordinary Most candidates challenging the incumbent will announce
National party hisvoters do not tune into the election
opinion polls whereas Trump a 3% race until the their running a year before the first primaries.
convention NPC and therefore this is an important role
decrease Candidate will hope to be mentioned in newspapers such
party’s having to try and perform in order to gain as the Washington Post, NYTimes.
What is the most
voters.important factor in determining TV party debates during invisible primary- are televised
Key term: Super Tuesday- A a successful run for the presidency? INTRA-PARTY debates between candidates
Tuesday in February or early A primary election is a In 2019 the Democrat party debates highlighted the
March when a number of states
States either have primaries or caucuses, state-based election to differences between the moderate and progressive wings of
coincide their presidentialcandidates will need to win a state through choose a party’s candidate the party.
primaries and caucuses to gain Primaries
one of these which will then create delegates
and for the presidency. A Debates at this stage between candidates of one party can
influence. for them. These delegates are proportionalcaucuses presidential primary shows be seen to be a media circus and very little, and if any
to the size of the state. These committed a candidates support serious policy debate occurs.
Key term: Frontloading- a state among ordinary voters and
delegates then vote at the National Party
scheduling their primaries and chooses delegates Fundraising- invisible primary is where candidates should
Convention and a victor emerges for each
caucuses earlier in the committed to vote for that aim to raise the most money for them to be taken seriously
party
nomination cycle in an attempt candidate at the NPC. seen as a ‘war chest’
to increase their importance. Caucus Money brings the ability to campaign and advertise which
Is a state-based meeting to brings improved poll ratings and more money.
Primaries have two specific functions.
o To show the popularity of presidential candidates choose a party’s candidate Trump 2016 self-financed but most candidates need to
o To choose delegates to go to the national party conventions for the presidency, they raise money from donors or interest groups
There are different types of primaries which are ran under state law. attract unrepresentative and
Key term: Frontrunner: having the highest ratings in
o Closed primaries are those in which only registered Democrats can vote in the low turnouts. Those who do
opinion polls, traditionally, whichever candidate is
Democratic primary and only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican turnout are
leading in the polls just before the primaries and
primary. disproportionately more caucuses began is usually confirmed as the nominee.
o Open primary is a primary where any registered voter can vote in either party’s ideological than primary So one must, do the things mentioned above to even
primary. voters. States that hold have a chance to make it to the presidential
o Modified primaries allow those who have registered as independents to vote in caucuses are geographically primaries and caucuses.
either party’s primary. For example, in the New Jersey primary, only registered large but thinly populated
Democrat voters voted in the Democratic primary and registered Republican such as Iowa, North Dakota,
voters in the Republican primary but those registered as an independent could Nevada and Wyoming.
vote in either party’s primary.
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