Political Parties Flashcards
Functions of Political Parties?
- Nominating Functions
- Informer-Stimulator Function
- Bonding Agent Function
- Governmental Function
- Watchdog Function
Political Parties
A group of people who seek to control the government by winning elections and holding public office
Why do we have a 2 Party System?
- History & Tradition
- Electoral System
- American Idealogical Consensus
What determines party membership?
- Family
- Major Events
- Economic Status
- Age
- Residence
- Education
Why do people not vote?
- Apathy
- Limitations on voting
- “My vote won’t make a difference”
- Uninformed
- Weather
- Against the principle
Organization of Political Parties
- President
- National Chairman
- National committee
- National convention
- Congressional campaign
Purpose of Minor/ Third Parties?
Force 2 major parties to take a stand on a controversial issue
Goal of a minor/ third party?
“Spoiler role”- takes the majority vote away from one of the major parties
Types of minor/ third parties?
- Idealogical
- Single-Issue
- Economic Protest
- Splinter
Free-Soil Party
Martin Van Buren
Greenback Party
James Weaver
Populist Party
William Jennings Bryan
Socialist
Eugene Debbs
Bullmoose
Theodore Roosevelt
States Rights Democrats (Dixiecrats)
Strom Thurmond
American Independent Party
George Wallace
State and Local Party purpose?
- Build an effective organization
- Promote unity
- Find candidates
- Provide campaign funds
Types of nominations?
- Self announcement
- Caucus
- Convention
Primary System
- Direct Primary
- Runoff Primary
- Nonpartisan Primary
- Contested
Federal Responsibilities in elections?
- Sets the date
- Guarantee a secret ballot
- Regulate campaign finance
Coattail effect?
A strong candidate at the top of the ticket helps attract voters on the ticket
Ballot
A device in which a voter registers a choice in an election
Australian ballot
Secret ballot
Office-group ballot
Candidates for each office are grouped together
