AP GOVERNMENT
POLITICAL PARTIES
Chapter 7
What is a political party?
• A group of persons who
seek to control
government through the
winning of elections and
the holding of public
office
Two Major Political
Parties:
• Republican
• Democrat
What do political parties
do?
1. Connect citizens to
their government
• Linkage institution
• Increases political
efficacy
2. Running members for
office
•
Nominating the party’s
candidate
3. Unify the Electorate
• Moderate Conflict by
bringing together
different viewpoints
under one party
Extreme Liberal
Extreme Conservative
4. Help Organize
Government
• Not as cohesive or “vital”
in the US as in Europe
• CONGRESS-Chamber
officers and committees
are usually majority party
members
• Same with state leg
except Nebraska
5. Enact policies and
implement campaign
promises (effectively
changing government with
legislation)
•
•
No guarantee that
candidates will follow party
platform
Soft Money usually means
candidates follow party
platform
6. Provide opposition to
the party that controls
the White House or
Congress
• Honeymoon period
7. Inform the public of the
party’s policies
•
Convey an image to get
the electorate to support
their side
8. Raise Money!
•
Know the following
terms:
• Party Column Ballot
• Favors Straight Ticket
Voting
• Office Block Ballot
•
Nonpartisan
How do parties nominate a
candidate?
• Caucus - closed meeting to
pick candidate
• Party convention - candidates
chosen by party members
• Direct primary - elections to
determine candidates (mostly
used today!)
Different types of
Primaries:
• Open Primaries - any
voter can participate in
elections (no matter the
party affiliation)
• Crossover voting
• Closed Primaries - only
voters registered as that
party can vote
Party System
• Know the following terms:
• Two-party system
• Multiparty system
• Presidential system
• Parliamentary system
• Coalition gov’t
• Proportional representation
• Winner-take-all system
Minor Parties
• Third parties
• Grouped by ideology
• Examples: Bull Moose
Party, American
Independent Party, Reform
Party, Green Party