Elections

• Primaries + caucuses - methods used to select candidates for elected office
• National nomination conventions - held by each party in the summer of the presidential election year to formally elect their presidential candidate
• Direct democracy - this comprises of ballot initiatives, recall elections + referendums
• Voting behaviour - why US citizens vote the way they do
• Incumbency - high levels of re-election usually enjoyed by existing senators + House members
• Electoral college - indirect electoral system used to elect the US president every four years
• How often elections take place:

  President - every 4 years

  HOR - every 2 years

  Senate - every 2 years on a rolling basis

  Congressional elections between 2 for President -> mid-terms
• Strengths of US electoral system:

  • huge no. of elections = many opportunities for political participation
  • reflects federal nature of US government
  • usually ensures clear results + single-party control
• Weaknesses of US electoral system:

  • voters suffer from voter fatigue' -> can lead to apathy
  • plenty of scope for electoral manipulation e.g voter ID laws
  • tends to favour 2-party system - little scope for independent/ third parties
• National Nominating Convention:

  • formally nominate the party's candidate
  • selects candidate if no clear winner emerges at primaries
  • essentially a celebration with celebrities
  • present a united front after a divisive campaign
  • often held in swing states
  • attracts strong media coverage
  • opportunity to set out a political vision
  • successful convention may temporarily boost poll ratings