P OLITICAL P ARTIES

I.R OLE OF P OLITICAL P ARTIES A. Political party – group of citizens who want to influence/control government by getting their members elected to office

B. Five Roles of Political Parties 1. Nominate candidates for public office 2. Influence policy Should support the party’s platform – statement of the party’s official stand on major public issues 3. Unite government Links members at different levels of government 4. Create balance Minority party works to make sure their voice is heard 5. Inform citizens

II.H ISTORY OF P OLITICAL P ARTIESH ISTORY OF P OLITICAL P ARTIES A. First political party = Federalists 1. Led by Alexander Hamilton 2. Supported a strong national government 3. Power declined in the early 1800s B. Rival to Federalists = Democratic- Republicans 1. Led by Thomas Jefferson 2. Opposed strong national government 3. Turned into Democratic Party in 1828

C. 1820s: Democrats replaced Democratic- Republicans D. 1834: Whig party replaced the Federalists E. 1854: Current 2-party system emerged 1. Republican Party replaced the Whigs Formed by groups opposed to slavery Abraham Lincoln = 1 st Republican president Was the majority party until the 1930s : Election of Franklin Roosevelt shifted power back to the Democrats

III.R OLE OF T HIRD P ARTIES A. Usually emerge during elections B. Rarely win major elections but can change the outcome 2000: Ralph Nader won many votes that likely cost Al Gore the electionRalph Nader C. Can bring up new ideas 1992: Ross Perot focused on the national debt causing other candidates to talk about the problem

D. Famous Third Party candidates 1860: Abraham Lincoln: Abraham Lincoln 1912: Teddy Roosevelt

IV.C HARACTERISTICS OF T ODAY ’ S P ARTIES A. Party organization Have local, state and national organizations

B. Maintaining party strength 1. System of patronage – system in which party leaders perform favors for loyal supporters of the party 2. Help candidates campaign

3. Voter loyalty a. Some vote a straight ticket – ballot cast for all the candidates of one party b. Some vote a split ticket –voting for candidates of more than one party on the same ballot c. Some are independent voters – people who don’t support a particular political party Highest among young voters

P ARTY I DENTIFICATION IN THE US, 1952 – 2000 YEARDEMOCRATSINDEPENDENTSREPUBLICANS %23.3%28.1%

V.C HOOSING C ANDIDATES A. Nominating candidates 1. Self-nomination – declaring that you are running for office 2. Write-in candidate – one who asks voters to write his /her name on the ballot B. Caucus- meeting of party leaders to discuss issues or to choose candidates

C. Primaries 1. Direct primary – an election in which voters of a political party choose candidates to run for office for that party 2. Closed primary – voter must be registered as a party member and may vote only in that party’s primary 3. Open primary – voter doesn’t need to declare a party before voting but they may vote only in one party’s primary

D. Choosing presidential candidates 1. Paying for a campaign a. Most $ comes from individual donations Individuals may contribute $2,000 to each candidate/election b. Public financing – government will match individual donations to a candidate

2. Choosing delegates a. Through a presidential preference primary election b. Or through a statewide caucus or convention process

3. National conventions a. Held by political parties in presidential election years b. Officially choose candidates who then give acceptance speeches