Unit 3 - Political Parties Flashcards
political parties
a group of people with broad common interests who organize to win elections, control gov’t, and make public policy
public policy
rules everyone must follow
types of political parties
one party, two party, mutiparty
one party system
- where the gov’t is the party
- they set the policies
- usually appears in authoritarian or theocratic gov’ts
- ex: China
authoritarian
(not necessarily always one party)one or a few people control a gov’t by force
ex: Cuba
theocratic
(not necessarily one party) religion and gov’t are mixed
ex: Iran, Vadican, Israel
two party system
where only two major parties compete for control
ex: US
multiparty system
- where three or more major parties compete for control
- usally must form a coalition to survive
- ex: Germany
coalition
two or three parties working together to get over 50% of the vote
types of minor parties
single issue, ideological party, splinter party
third party
any other pary other than the major two
single issue
- focus on one major issue
- disappears when two major parties take issue
- ex: free soil (abolish-end slavery)
ideological party
- focus on a major change in society
- libertarian, socialist, communist
libertarian
spend little gov’t money
splinter party
- when one part on a major party breaks off over an issue
- ex: 1912– Progressive Party (Teddy Roosevelt)
- usually split the vote of one party causing the other party to win
why third parties fail…
- name recognition (unknown)
- finances (not enough money)
- regional support (not national)
- belief in winnability (none)
- single member districts
ways of choosing party candidates
petition, caucus, nominating convention, direct primary system
petition
when a person gets enough signatures to get on the ballot
caucus
a private meeting of party leaders to select the candidate
nominating convention
meeting of pary members to choose a candidate
direct primary system
when the people directly choose the candidates
types of primaries
closed primary and open primary
closed primary
when member of a political party choose a candidate (ohio follows)
open primary
when anyone can choose the candidate
plurality
when a winner only needs more votes than anyone else to win
runoff election
if no one receives a majority of the votes, the two top candidates compete in a second election
platform
list of political party’s beliefs/positions on issues
plank
position on an issue
goals of political parties
- win elections
- control gov’t
- make public policy
suffrage
the right to vote (at the base of all democracies)
list of early limitations on voting
- religion
- property ownership
- age
- sex
- race
religion
- gone by the 1830’s
- went away due to the 1st Amend. interpretation
property ownership
- gone by the 1830’s
- went away due to urbanization during the Industrial Revolution
sex
-went away because the 19th Amend. gave women the right to vote in 1920
age
- went away due to the 26 Amend. in 1971
- lowered the age in state and federal elections to 18 for all registered voters (reaction to the Vietnam War– if you had to die for your country at 18, you should also be able to vote)
race
- Grandfather Clause
- literacy test
- poll tax
- 13 Amend – banned slavery
literacy test
test used for qualifications to vote
poll tax
amount of money paid to be allowed to vote
grandfather clause
anyone who’s grandfather voted before 1867 was elligible to vote without paying a tax or passing a test (white people!!!)
13 Amendment
banned slavery
14 Amendment
equal protection, due process of law, and citizenship
15 Amendment
right to vote
24 Amendment
banned poll tax
26 Amendment
(1971) lowered the age in state and federal elections to 18 for all registered voters
19 Amendment
(1920) gave women the right to vote
precinct
a voting district ranging in size from just a few voters to more than 1,000 voters
ward
a large district comprised of several adjoining precincts
function of political parties
1) recruit candidates (select good candidates for public approval)
2) educate the public (present positions on important issues)
3) operate the gov’t (run and staff it; usually one has control at a time)
4) dispense patronage (do favors for supporters)
5) loyal opposition (when not in power, keeps the other party in check)
6) reduction of conflict (encourage groups to compromise and work together; peaceful power shifts)
direct primary
an election in which party members select people to run in the general election (either closed or open)
closed primary
only members of a political party can vote (ex: dem. pick dem and rep. pick rep)
open primary
all voters may participate, even if they do not belong to the party, but they can vote in only one party’s primary.
ticket
candidates for president and vice president
cross-pressured voter
one who is caught b/t conflicting elements in his/her own life such as religion, income level, and peer group
ex: a wealthy catholic – catholics usually vote democratic and big business people usually vote republican
weak party voter
those that are more likley to switch their votes to the rival pary’s candidate from time to time; more influenced by the issues and candidate rather than pary loyalty
strong party voter
those who select their pary candidates in election after election. They tend to see the party as more important than the issues or candidates. They usually vote a straight-pary ticket
straight-party ticket
selection of candidates from own party only
regular voter
citizens who vote regularly and have general positive attitudes toward gov’t and citizenship; the more education a citizen has the more likely they are to vote; middle aged people and high incomes also increase likeness to vote
three requirements to be able to vote in US
1) citizenship
2) residency
3) registration
suggested ways to increase voter turnout
- shift election day from tuesday to sunday
- allow voters to register on election day
- use a national registration system so that voters’ registration can follow them to a new state when they move
