Political
Parties
The forces behind our
government
Political Parties
•
1.
2.
3.
Functions of Political Parties:
Select & support candidates
Inform citizens
Speak to government on behalf of the
people
4. Operate the government
5. Act as a “watchdog” over government
6. Link the different levels of government
together.
Platforms & Planks
• Platform: A series of statements
expressing the party’s principles,
beliefs, and positions on election
issues.
• Plank: The term for each individual part
of a party’s platform.
• What are some Examples?
Types of Parties
Democratic
History:
- Supporters of President Andrew
Jackson became known as democrats in
order to stress their ties to “common”
people.
Types of Parties
Republican
History:
- Formed in 1854 as a coalition of
other minor parties who advocated the
abolition of slavery in the north.
- Abraham Lincoln was the first
Republican president.
Types of Parties
• Third Parties
-Purpose: To promote ideas that are
otherwise unpopular.
-Types of Third Parties:
1. Single-Issue
2. Ideological
3. Independent Candidates
Types of Elections
• Primary:
-The first part of a two-part election
process.
-Purpose: to narrow the field of
candidates even further. One
candidate per party is chosen during
this step.
Types of Elections
-Types of Primaries:
All primaries are direct – voters choose
candidates to represent a party directly.
1. Closed – Only declared members of a
party may vote in that party’s primary.
2. Open – Voters do not need to declare
their party preference in order to vote.
Types of Elections
• Outcomes of Primaries:
1. Plurality: A candidate wins most of
the votes and is declared the winner.
Most states operate under this rule.
2. Majority: A candidate wins more
than 50% of the total votes. Only a few
states operate under this rule.
Types of Elections
• General:
-Always take place the first Tuesday after the
first Monday in Novemeber.
-General elections include:
*President (every four years)
*House of Reps (every even-numbered
year)
*Senate (every 6th year depending upon
the
candidate)
*Various local & state officials (i.e.
governor)
Special Circumstances
• Runoff – When no candidate wins a
clear majority of votes, a runoff election
is held between the top two candidates.
• Recall – An election called to determine
if voters want to remove a sitting official
from office before his/her term is up.
• Ex: 2003 California gov. Gray Davis.
Election Campaigning
For a campaign, a candidate will
need/use…
• Endorsement
• Canvassing
• Propaganda
• Fundraising
• Political Ads
Propaganda
•
Types:
1. Bandwagon – using language that makes voters
feel they should support an issue because
“everybody else is doing it”
2. Glittering generality – An appeal to emotions by
using vague words which carry conviction.
3. Just Plain Folks – Telling voters that a candidate is
“just like them”
4. Name-calling – Attaching negative labels to a
cnadidate’s opponent.
5. Stack Cards – Using only facts that support a
candidates argument and excluding other important
facts.
Political Ads
• www.livingroomcandidate.org
Fundraising
• Because of the high cost of
campaigning (tv ads, transportation,
salaries, etc.) candidates must spend a
lot of time raising money.
• The Federal government has put
several regulations on how they may do
this.
Fundraising (cont.)
• FECA
-Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971.
-Hard money
-Creation of FEC: Federal Elections
Commission
-Buckley v. Valeo (and you thought we
were done with the Supreme Court…)
Voting
• Qualifications to Vote:
-18 years old
-Citizen of the U.S
-Registered at least 25 days prior to the
elections
Voting (cont.)
• Initiative: A way for citizens to propose
new laws or amendments.
• Proposition: When citizens have gained
enough signatures on a petition for a
new law/amendment, it becomes a
proposition.
• Referendum: A law that is put on the
ballot in order for citizens to approve or
reject it.
Voting
• Hours: 7am – 8pm
• Location:
-Polling Place: The actual location where
you vote (schools, town halls, public
buildings).
-Precinct: The voting district where you
reside.
• Types of Ballots (p. 314)
Voting (cont.)
• Types of Ballots:
1. Absentee – Citizens who cannot get to
their poll on election day due to health, travel,
or military service may vote absentee.
2. Early – Citizens who fall under the
absentee category may also visit their local
elections office prior to election day in order
to cast their ballot.