A short list or shortlist is a
list
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
of
candidate
A candidate, or nominee, is the prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position; for example:
* to be elected to an office — in this case a candidate selection procedure occurs.
* t ...
s for a job, prize, award, political position, etc., that has been reduced from a longer list of candidates (sometimes via intermediate lists known as "long lists"). The length of short lists varies according to the context. A candidate on a short list may or may not receive the award or position.
Awards
For awards, a short list (or 'shortlist') is often made public, these are the works which will be looked at closely by judges, and from which winners will eventually be chosen. Sometimes a 'long list' is prepared beforehand, from which the later short list will be selected. This is also sometimes made public.
US politics
In
US politics
The politics of the United States function within a framework of a constitutional federal republic and presidential system, with three distinct branches that share powers. These are: the U.S. Congress which forms the legislative branch, a bic ...
, short list is most frequently used in two instances: first a list of prospective
vice presidential nominees compiled for the benefit of a party's
presidential nominee
In United States politics and government, the term presidential nominee has two different meanings:
# A candidate for president of the United States who has been selected by the delegates of a political party at the party's national convention ( ...
, and a list of people who might be nominated by an executive office holder to a judicial or lower executive office.
In the latter instance, the short list may be compiled by the
party
A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature f ...
election committee, after conducting research and undergoing a process of elimination, selecting individuals judged fit and capable of successfully completing any processes needed for acceptance. It may also be used for the presidential nominations of federal and
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
justices.
In the former instance, its main use refers to the context of presidential nominees, as they make their choice for the vice presidential nominee. The list is typically compiled by the presidential nominee's advisers, with an eye to the characteristics of each vice presidential nominee that might boost the combined presidential ticket to victory. Under the current U.S. presidential and vice-presidential nomination regime, the presidential nominee's selection of running mate is authoritative, and will almost never be rejected by party
convention delegates.
As a prospective vice presidential nominee is placed onto the short list they are typically subject to thorough
vetting
Vetting is the process of performing a background check on someone before offering them employment, conferring an award, or doing fact-checking prior to making any decision. In addition, in intelligence gathering, assets are vetted to determine th ...
.
[See, e.g.]
Ben Smith, ''Richardson Defense Raises Questions'', Politico, March 8, 2007
/ref> The scrutiny involved in the vetting process usually increases as any given person whose name is on the short list comes closer to being chosen by the presidential nominee.
The media
Media may refer to:
Communication
* Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data
** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising
** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...
frequently claims to obtain and announces the names of individuals whom they believe to be on the short list. Presidential nominees' staffs may also quietly disclose the name of a candidate as being on the short list, in an attempt to gauge public opinion.
Typically, the most prominent individuals on the short list are those who competed well in the early presidential primary
Primary or primaries may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels
* Primary (band), from Australia
* Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea
* Primary Music, Israeli record label
Works
* ...
and caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries and political cultures.
The term originated in the United States, where it can refer to a meeting ...
contests, but who are judged as non-threatening by the presidential nominee (for example, John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...
's selection of John Edwards
Johnny Reid Edwards (born June 10, 1953) is an American lawyer and former politician who served as a U.S. senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2004 alongside John Kerry, losing to incumbents George ...
in 2004.) There are several individuals who are perennially listed as being on the short list, such as Evan Bayh
Birch Evans Bayh III ( ; born December 26, 1955) is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and Democratic Party politician who served as a United States senator from Indiana from 1999 to 2011 and the 46th governor of Indiana from 1989 to 1997.
Bayh w ...
and Bill Richardson
William Blaine Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was also the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Energy Secretary ...
for the Democrats, and Orrin Hatch
Orrin Grant Hatch (March 22, 1934 – April 23, 2022) was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from Utah from 1977 to 2019. Hatch's 42-year Senate tenure made him the longest-serving Republican U.S. senator ...
for the Republicans. Although such public disclosure may be considered an honor or mark of distinction, it can also harm a political career if a candidate is frequently discussed but never chosen.
See also
* Papabile
''Papabile'' (, also , ; ; or "able to be pope") is an unofficial Italian term first coined by Vaticanologists and now used internationally in many languages to describe a Catholic man, in practice always a cardinal, who is thought a likely ...
References
{{Reflist
United States presidential elections terminology