Reforming The Presidential Nominating Process

Author : Lisa K. Parshall
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 2018-06-14
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781315308418

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Reforming the Presidential Nominating Process by Lisa K. Parshall Pdf

The 2020 presidential selection process is already underway. As the political parties finalize their nominating rules and the states jostle for an advantageous contest date, potential challengers are being identified and sized up by party insiders. Once again, media and popular attention will be disproportionately focused on the candidates’ performance in the first and earliest of the state nominating contests—and on how quickly the sequence of primaries and caucuses winnows the field and identifies the presumptive nominees. But what are the implications of a sequential and front-loaded nominating calendar that gives some voters outsized influence while leaving many others with a constrained choice—or no choice—in the selection of their party’s presidential nominee? Reforming the Presidential Nominating Process: Front-Loading's Consequences and the National Primary Solution critiques the contemporary nominating process from the perspective of voters and their right to effectively participate in their parties’ selection of a presidential nominee. Employing both a common-sense and legal, rights-based framework to invite a constitutionally grounded conversation on the legitimacy of the current presidential nominating process, Lisa K. Parshall argues that timing of participation in the nomination goes hand-in-hand with the right to choose a candidate and the fairest way to restore the promise of meaningful and timely participation for all voters is by adopting a same-day national primary. Viewed from the party membership perspective, this work illuminates the fundamental interests at stake that should be considered in any potential reform of the presidential nominating system.

Author : Steven S. Smith,Melanie J. Springer
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 223 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2009-11-01
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780815703495

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Reforming the Presidential Nomination Process by Steven S. Smith,Melanie J. Springer Pdf

The 2008 U.S. presidential campaign has provided a lifetime's worth of surprises. Once again, however, the nomination process highlighted the importance of organization, political prowess, timing, and money. And once again, it raised many hackles. The Democratic contest in particular generated many complaints—for example, it started too early, it was too long, and Super Tuesday was overloaded. This timely book synthesizes new analysis by premier political scientists into a cohesive look at the presidential nomination process—the ways in which it is broken and how it might be fixed. The contributors to Reforming the Presidential Nomination Process address different facets of the selection process, starting with a brief history of how we got to this point. They analyze the importance—and perceived unfairness—of the earliest primaries and discuss what led to record turnouts in 2008. What roles do media coverage and public endorsements play? William Mayer explains the "superdelegate" phenomenon and the controversy surrounding it; James Gibson and Melanie Springer evaluate public perceptions of the current process as well as possible reforms. Larry Sabato (A More Perfect Constitution) calls for a new nomination system, installed via constitutional amendment, while Tom Mann of Brookings opines on calls for reform that arose in 2008 and Daniel Lowenstein examines the process by which reforms may be adopted—or blocked.

Author : John Haskell
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 198 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 1996
Category : Presidents
ISBN : 0847682412

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Fundamentally Flawed by John Haskell Pdf

How are the electoral procedures used in presidential nomination campaigns? Haskell provides an overview of the historical developments that led to the presidential nomination process and analyzes the basic elements of public choice analysis as they apply to nomination campaigns. The book serves as a basic text and an introduction to the study of the nomination process as a method of public choice. Haskell argues that the current arrangements in the presidential nomination process are deeply flawed and offers a set of reforms to the existing system, including using approval voting in the earliest primaries and diminishing the effect of frontloading primaries. Fundamentally Flawed will interest scholars and students of American government, political parties, the presidency, and campaigns and elections.

Author : Howard L. Reiter
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 218 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 1985
Category : Political Science
ISBN : UOM:39015010918376

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Selecting the President by Howard L. Reiter Pdf

Suggests reasons for changes in the presidential nominating procedure, discusses the influence of delegates, party leaders, and governors, and looks at political trends.

Author : Marty Cohen,David Karol,Hans Noel,John Zaller
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 418 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2009-05-15
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780226112381

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The Party Decides by Marty Cohen,David Karol,Hans Noel,John Zaller Pdf

Throughout the contest for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, politicians and voters alike worried that the outcome might depend on the preferences of unelected superdelegates. This concern threw into relief the prevailing notion that—such unusually competitive cases notwithstanding—people, rather than parties, should and do control presidential nominations. But for the past several decades, The Party Decides shows, unelected insiders in both major parties have effectively selected candidates long before citizens reached the ballot box. Tracing the evolution of presidential nominations since the 1790s, this volume demonstrates how party insiders have sought since America’s founding to control nominations as a means of getting what they want from government. Contrary to the common view that the party reforms of the 1970s gave voters more power, the authors contend that the most consequential contests remain the candidates’ fights for prominent endorsements and the support of various interest groups and state party leaders. These invisible primaries produce frontrunners long before most voters start paying attention, profoundly influencing final election outcomes and investing parties with far more nominating power than is generally recognized.

Author : Thomas Gangale
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 278 pages
File Size : 50,6 Mb
Release : 2007-12-30
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780313348365

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From the Primaries to the Polls by Thomas Gangale Pdf

America's presidential nominating process is inherently unfair and exclusive, yielding undue weight and privilege to the states that vote in the earliest rounds. More and more states are beating down the door to vote earlier, trying to redress the inequity on a state-by-state basis. In the ensuing free-for-all, the presidential primary schedule has become so front-loaded that the anointed front-runner with the biggest war chest in each of the major parties is the de facto nominee. The primaries are becoming mere noise and pageantry, as the national conventions have been for several decades. From the Primaries to the Polls describes the problem and proposes the solution. The American Plan is designed to begin with contests in small-population states, where candidates do not need millions of dollars to compete and a wide field of presidential hopefuls can be competitive in the early going. A minor candidate's surprise success in early rounds, based on merit rather than money, tends to attract money from larger numbers of small contributors for the campaign to spend in later rounds of primaries. Keeping more candidates in the race longer to challenge to the front-runners prevents a rush to judgment and permits more voters across the country to select from a diverse field. As the campaign proceeds over ten two-week intervals of primaries and caucuses on a semi-randomized schedule, the aggregate value of contested states becomes successively larger, requiring the expenditure of larger amounts of money in order to campaign effectively. A more gradual weeding-out process occurs, allowing a clear winner to emerge only after the full spectrum of candidates has been in play nationally.

Author : Eugene D. Mazo,Michael R. Dimino
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 419 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2020-09-17
Category : Law
ISBN : 9781108835398

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The Best Candidate by Eugene D. Mazo,Michael R. Dimino Pdf

Leading scholars examine the law governing the American presidential nomination process and offer practical ideas for reform.

Author : James W. Davis,Robert E. DiClerico
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Page : 151 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2000-04-26
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780742573345

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Choosing Our Choices by James W. Davis,Robert E. DiClerico Pdf

Probably no feature of the American political system has been subject to more sustained criticism over the last twenty-five years than the process by which we choose our presidents. In Choosing Our Choices, Robert E. DiClerico and James W. Davis debate the question: should we retain the present, primary centered 'direct democracy' method in selecting presidential candidates or should we return to a representative decision-making process to nominate our candidates? This timely and thought-provoking text offers the reader a concise yet comprehensive analysis of the presidential nominating system, arguments for and against the current system, and supplemental documents and essays for further reading. Choosing Our Choices will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars interested in exploring how Americans choose their leaders.

Author : Kevin J. Coleman,Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 15 pages
File Size : 54,7 Mb
Release : 2011-05-12
Category : Presidents
ISBN : 143797970X

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Presidential Nominating Process by Kevin J. Coleman,Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service Pdf

Every four years, the presidential nominating process generates complaints and proposed modifications, often directed at the seemingly haphazard and fast-paced calendar of primaries and caucuses. The rapid pace of primaries and caucuses that characterized the 2000 and 2004 cycles continued in 2008, despite national party efforts to reverse the phenomenon known as front- loading. Because many states scheduled early contests in the 2000 cycle, both parties subsequently created task forces on the process. The nominating system has resisted wholesale change despite criticism every four years from voters, the candidates, and the press. After several decades of debate, observers are divided on the best approach to reform. The lack of consensus for reworking the primary system is due partly to its complex design, which frustrates pursuit of a simple, obvious solution, and partly to the political parties pursuing their own variable interests concerning their delegate selection rules. The states further complicate the process by independently scheduling primary election dates. Congress, political commentators, academics, and others have offered various reform proposals over the years, but many important dimensions of reform depend on whether the parties are willing to change the system for choosing delegates to their national conventions. Contents of this report: 2008 Election; Calendar Changes, 1988-2008; National Party Rules Changes for 2012; Evaluating the Primary System; Reform Proposals; Legislative Considerations. Figure and table. This is a print on demand report.

Author : William G. Mayer,Andrew E. Busch
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 239 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2003-11-18
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780815796213

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The Front-Loading Problem in Presidential Nominations by William G. Mayer,Andrew E. Busch Pdf

The race for the White House may seem like a marathon, but the nomination process is becoming a sprint, with the starting gun fired earlier each time. Where state primaries and caucuses were once spread out over a period of three or four months, most are now crammed into a four– or five–week interval at the very beginning of the delegate selection calendar. The compression and hastening of the nomination season are changing the nature of the presidential selection process, the most visible pillar of American democracy. Despite the importance of this issue in American politics, however, too little systematic analysis has been done on the topic. This is the first book to offer a comprehensive examination of the front-loading problem in all its facets. William Mayer and Andrew Busch define the parameters of the front-loading question as well as its impact. They trace the history that shaped the current system and explain why it is such a critical element of presidential elections. Most important, the authors present a detailed analysis of all the major proposals for coping with front-loading and of the political and constitutional obstacles for reform. While they conclude that there is no easy solution to this complex issue, they identify a general direction for reform efforts. They also feel that the political parties should be the prime movers in formulating and implementing changes.

Author : Rhodes Cook
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 188 pages
File Size : 46,9 Mb
Release : 2004
Category : History
ISBN : 0742525945

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The Presidential Nominating Process by Rhodes Cook Pdf

The sprawling nominating process is the critical first step every four years in the election of the president. This work shows how the nominating process works, how that compares to other countries, and how it might be changed to give a more meaningful voice to a much larger number of voters.

Author : David P. Redlawsk,Caroline J. Tolbert,Todd Donovan
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2010-12-15
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780226706979

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Why Iowa? by David P. Redlawsk,Caroline J. Tolbert,Todd Donovan Pdf

If Barack Obama had not won in Iowa, most commentators believe that he would not have been able to go on to capture the Democratic nomination for president. Why Iowa? offers the definitive account of those early weeks of the campaign season: from how the Iowa caucuses work and what motivates the candidates’ campaigns, to participation and turnout, as well as the lingering effects that the campaigning had on Iowa voters. Demonstrating how “what happens in Iowa” truly reverberates throughout the country, five-time Iowa precinct caucus chair David P. Redlawsk and his coauthors take us on an inside tour of one of the most media-saturated and speculated-about campaign events in American politics. Considering whether a sequential primary system, in which early, smaller states such as Iowa and New Hampshire have such a tremendous impact is fair or beneficial to the country as a whole, the authors here demonstrate that not only is the impact warranted, but it also reveals a great deal about informational elements of the campaigns. Contrary to conventional wisdom, this sequential system does confer huge benefits on the nominating process while Iowa’s particularly well-designed caucus system—extensively explored here for the first time—brings candidates’ arguments, strengths, and weaknesses into the open and under the media’s lens.

Author : Wayne P. Steger
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 154 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2015-04-10
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781134069514

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A Citizen's Guide to Presidential Nominations by Wayne P. Steger Pdf

Presidential nominations in the United States can sometimes seem like a media circus, over-hyped and overly speculative. Even informed citizens might be tempted to tune them out. Yet understanding the process, one distinct to American politics, is crucial for civic participation. If presidential elections are about who will lead the nation, presidential nominations are about who appears on the ballot. This concise and coherent Citizen’s Guide examines who has power in presidential nominations and how this affects who we as citizens choose to nominate, and ultimately to sit in the Oval Office. Political scientist Wayne Steger defines the nominating system as a tension between an "insider game" and an "outsider game." He explains how candidates must appeal to a broad spectrum of elected and party officials, political activists, and aligned groups in order to form a winning coalition within their party, which changes over time. Either these party insiders unify early behind a candidate, effectively deciding the nominee before anyone casts a vote, or they are divided and the nomination is determined by citizens voting in the caucuses and primaries. Steger portrays how shifts in party unity and the participation of core party constituencies affect the options presented to voters. Amidst all this, the candidate still matters. Primaries with one strong candidate look much different than those with a field of weaker ones. By clearly addressing the key issues, past and present, of presidential nominations, Steger’s guide will be informative, relevant, and accessible for students and general readers alike.

Author : Howard L. Reiter
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 31 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 1984
Category : Presidents
ISBN : 0947737200

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The Limitations of Reform by Howard L. Reiter Pdf

Author : James W. Ceaser
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 224 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 1982
Category : Political Science
ISBN : UOM:39015002977398

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Reforming the Reforms by James W. Ceaser Pdf

Analyzes reforms in the Presidential selection process since the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Examines the recent changes in delegate selection, nature of candidates, campaign strategies, the influence of interest groups and the media, the role of party leaders, campaign financing and the extent and quality of participation. Ceaser sees the reforms as a move away from a representative process to one based on direct democracy and calls on institutional theory to assess their impact in altering basic institutions and patterns of political behavior.