Chapter 8 Flashcards
Ticket Splitting
Voting with one party for one office and with another party for other offices
Patronage
used by party machines, one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone
National Committee
One of the institutions that keeps the party operating between conventions
National Convention
The meeting of party delegates every four years to choose a presidential ticket and write the party’s platform
National Chairperson
Responsible for the day to day activities of the party and is usually hand picked by the presidential nominee
Third Parties
Electoral contenders other than the two major parties - rarely win elections
5 tasks of Political Parties
Pick Candidates Run Campaigns Give Cues to Voters Articulate Policies Coordinate Policymaking
Party machines
Type of political party organization that relies heavily on material inducements, such as patronage, to win votes and to govern
The benefit of party competition
Without competition there would be no choice, which would be no democracy
Critical election
new issues emerge, new coalitions replace old ones, and majority party is often displaced by the minority.Sometimes marked by a national crisis and may require more than one election to bing about a new party era
Party realignment
displacement of the majority party by the minority party
Party dealignment
gradual disengagement of people and politicians from the parties
why did primary elections develop
organize elections influences the strength of the parties. Some states give parties greater power than others to limit who can participate in their nomination contests
Open primaries
Elections to select party nominees in which voters can decide on Election Day whether they want to participate in the Democratic or Republican contests
Closed primaries
elections to select party nominees in which only people who have registered in advance with the party can vote for that party’s candidates thus encouraging greater party loyalty
