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To what extent have the role and functions of the national nominating conventions been reduced to mere formalities? (45)

Debate is expected in higher-level responses, focusing on the changing role/functions of the national nominating conventions, referencing both ‘reduced’ and a ‘mere formality’ in the answers.

For AO1 marks, students should have knowledge of the role of the conventions ending the nomination process but before the national campaign begins. For context, good students may refer to the historic role and functions of the conventions as significant, as they actually decided the candidate as well as the vice-president, and the party platform was decided by the votes of the states. They may then contrast this with the current role of the conventions as ‘rubber stamping’ bodies where those decisions have already been made elsewhere.

For high-level marks at both AO1 and AO2, students must analyse and explain why party conventions may now be described as a ‘mere formality’, as the formal role of the convention in deciding the candidate has gone (unless there is no clear primary winner where the convention ‘super-delegates’ may become significant, although this has not yet happened), as well as the role of deciding the vice-president and the party platform.

Expect reference, at the higher levels of response, to the increasing role of the primary and caucus system since the McGovern-Fraser reforms reduced the role of ‘party bosses’ in ‘smoke-filled rooms’ in candidate selection, and the growing importance of the mass media in the conventions where the party candidate is concerned more with influencing the wider electorate than simply the party delegates, as in the past.

Good students should be able to distinguish between the ‘formal’ functions (which have declined) and the ‘informal’ functions (which have grown).

Students should present a case that the conventions still retain some important ‘formal’ functions covering, to a greater degree (Level 3) or lesser degree (Levels 1 and 2), the following arguments:

• It is the only time when the national party meets (rather than 50 state parties) and is organised/controlled by the National Committees.
• The ‘coronation’ of the candidate takes place with the acceptance speech and keynote speech given to the party delegates and to the nation.
• The candidate and vice-president are showcased at the convention as part of a ‘balanced ticket’ to influence voters.
• The Platform (party principles and goals known as ‘planks’) is announced, but not debated, at the convention and is not binding on the candidate.
• The candidate is looking for a ‘bounce’ in the polls resulting from a successful convention to take them into the national campaign during the 3-4 day highly stage-managed ‘political theatre’.

Most students will recognise that the conventions do retain some role and important ‘informal’ functions, and that they remain an important ‘ritual’ and ‘media event’ ending the nomination process. They must be able to use several of the arguments below for high AO2 marks. There will be much less analysis and evidence at lower levels of response, which will be limited.

The media focus on the party presidential candidate and his vice-president in the 3/4 day ‘jamboree’, and the focus on the party platform and values, may engage the public for the presidential campaign.

• The ‘bounce’ and ‘momentum’ that can come from a successful convention, as for the Democrats in 2008 or the loss of it as in the 1992 Republican convention, where the party was perceived as divided, or the failure to gain it as in the 2012 Republican convention.
• The role of the convention in healing party divisions, especially after divisive primaries such as those between Obama and Hillary Clinton in 2008 or Santorum and Romney in 2012, and the projection of a united party image with the party uniting around its chosen candidate for the national campaign.
• The energising of the core vote/base of the party.
• The attempt to appeal to undecided ‘swing’ voters.
• The enthusing of the party activists to organise the ‘ground war’ in the upcoming campaign in the states.

Good students may also refer to the fact that parties often locate their conventions in key swing states to try and impact the votes here, such as the Democrats choosing North Carolina and the Republicans in Florida in 2012.

Students should be rewarded when they use convincing evidence and examples of specific conventions to illustrate their answer.

At the higher levels of response, both sides of the analysis should be covered as to whether conventions do or don’t retain an important role or significant formal and informal functions.

At lower levels of response there will be little balanced debate, or any convincing evidence or examples on either side of the debate.

Levels of response will be distinguished by the focus on the set question, the extent and strength of the knowledge and analysis presented, the evidence and examples used and the overall communication of the answer, including syntax, vocabulary, structure and coherence.