Primary Elections and Electoral Systems

Flashcards about primary elections, their impact, and alternative electoral systems.

According to a Unite America report in 2023, what percentage of voters effectively selected a majority of Congress?

8 percent of voters selected 83 percent of Congress.

What is a primary election?

An election to select candidates to run for public office.

What are the two main types of primary elections?

Closed (partisan) and open (nonpartisan).

What is a key concern regarding primary elections in the United States?

There is no real vetting mechanism for candidates because political parties hand over the responsibility of selecting candidates entirely to voters.

What is the traditional view of primary elections regarding voter turnout and candidate selection?

Low turnout elections lead to the selection of more extreme candidates.

Why are primary elections often more important in safe districts?

General elections are often uncontested, making the primary the key election.

What is a common reaction of incumbent members of Congress to primary challenges?

Rejecting compromise with the opposing party and maintaining close ties to primary constituent groups.

What happens if no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes in a ranked-choice voting system?

The candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is removed, and their voters' second-choice votes are counted.

What is proportional representation?

An electoral system where the distribution of seats corresponds closely with the proportion of total votes cast for each party.