United States Government
William J. Palmer High School - Mrs. Osborne
Parties, Candidates and Campaigns
The American Democracy: Chapter 8
Essential Questions:
 How powerful are political parties?
 Why only two?
 How do we elect?
 How are campaigns funded?
Terms to Know:
Political Party
Linkage Institution
Single-Member District
Party Coalition
Primary
Caucus
Frontloading
Superdelegates
Federal Election Commission 527s
Federal Election Campaign Act Incumbent
Split/Straight Ticket Voting Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
Hard Money
Minor/Third Parties
Party Machines
Critical Elections
Electoral College
Winner Take All
Realignment/Dealignment
Nomination
Convention
PACs
501c4s
Closed/Open Primary
Soft Money
Gerrymandering
Single Issue Parties
Citizens United v FEC
FRQs:
1. Political parties have been both strengthened and weakened by various factors. In recent years, factors that
have weakened political parties have led to candidate-centered election campaigns.
a. Define single-member district system. Explain how the single-member district system strengthens
the two-party system.
b. Define primary election. Explain how primary elections have weakened political parties.
c. Describe two ways in which congressional elections are candidate-centered campaigns.
2. A significant feature of the Electoral College is that most states have a winner take all system.
a. Describe the winner take all feature of the Electoral College.
b. Explain one way in which the winner take all feature of the Electoral College affects how
presidential candidates from the two major political parties run their campaigns.
c. Explain one way in which the winner take all feature of the Electoral College hinders third party
candidates.
d.
Explain two reasons why the Electoral College has not been abolished.
3. Nominees for the presidency of the two major parties are chosen by delegates are chosen by delegates at
the national conventions. How these delegates are chosen varies across states and between the political
parties.
a. Define each of the following methods used by states to choose delegates to party conventions.
 Open primary
 Caucus
b. Republican Party rules permit winner take all primaries. Describe one consequence of this rule for the
Republican nomination process.
c. The Democratic Party has used superdelegates in the presidential nominating process since 1984.
Explain why the use of superdelegates increases the influence of party leaders in the Democratic
nomination process.
d. Explain why a candidate’s strategy to win the nomination is often different from the strategy developed
to win the general election.
4.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Define party polarization
Identify a trend in the graph above.
Describe two causes of party polarization in Congress.
Describe one effect of party polarization on congressional policy making.