Government 10/28

What role do conventions play in the Presidential nominating process?

• Conventions are mainly focused on social events and entertainment.
• Parties apportion the number of delegates a state gets by the number of electoral votes they have. Delegates are selected through both presidential primaries and the caucus convention process

• Conventions serve as a platform for party leaders to debate policies.
• Conventions are primarily used for fundraising activities.

How important are presidential primaries?

• Presidential primaries have little impact on the election.
• Presidential primaries are not significant.
• Presidential primaries are only a formality.
• A presidential primary is an election in which a party's voters (1) choose some or all of a state's party organization's delegates (2) express a preference among various contenders for their party. Proportional representation rules to select delegates. State delegates are chosen to match voter preferences. More than half of teh states hold preference primaries

What differences exist between the caucus-convention process and the primary process?

• voters meet in a local caucus where delegates are chosen

• The caucus-convention process allows for anonymous voting, while the primary process is public.
• The primary process requires local meetings, while the caucus-convention process is a simple voting method.
• Caucus-convention processes are only used in presidential elections, whereas primaries are for all elections.

What events take place during a national convention?

• Delegates vote on state laws
• 1) they officially name the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates 2) to bring the various factions and the leading personalities in the party together in 1 place for a common purpose 3) to adopt the party's platform- its formal statement of basic principles, stands on major policy matters, and objectives for the campaign and beyond>

• Candidates give speeches to the public
• Party leaders hold private meetings

What characteristics determine who is nominated as a presidential candidate?

• Celebrity status
• Social media presence
• Normally if the current president is running for re-election, they are almost guaranteed to get nominated. Some political experience and coming from a larger state

• Educational background