1. Political Parties

2. A Brief History… Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson had different views on the power of the government.. Federalists promoted a strong central government. Jefferson’s Party became known as Democratic-Republicans. They wanted to limit the power of the government.

3. A Brief History Democratic –Republican party had many candidates in the 1828 elections. Opposing opinions forced a split. National Republicans (Whigs) party was formed. Supported a strong national government. Opposed to Andrew Jackson. Democratic Party: formed to support the local government and support Andrew Jackson

4. A Brief History Republican Party: formed to oppose the Democratic Party’s support for the institution of slavery. Agreed that slavery should not be spread to new Northern States Lincoln was the first Republican president.

5. Third Parties Smaller parties that promote ideas that might be less popular and debatable. These parties can have a major impact on legislation for the nation. (8 hour work day, direct election of senators promoted by the Populist party in the 1890’s) Effect elections

6. Party Functions Select Candidates Inform the public Coordinate Policy making Balance competing interests Run campaigns

7. Media in Elections plays a major role in public opinion the media is a way for party’s to state their platforms Ex. Newspapers, magazines, radio, internet, television Mass media is used to relay propaganda to the people (canvassing)

8. Propaganda a technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group behavior the goal is to persuade, sometimes brainwash, people into believing something even if the information may be false

9. Propaganda Bandwagon: getting voters to follow the crowd and vote like everybody else is voting Think about peer pressure

10. Propaganda Name calling: in an advertisement, candidates will call out their opponents and name off all of their pitfalls and explains why voters shouldn’t vote for their opponents

11. Propaganda Endorsements: candidates will give a list of people that support them hoping the voter can relate to one of the well known supporters and gain votes that way

12. Propaganda Stacked cards: stating all accomplishments in an advertisement to make a candidate seem well rounded

13. Propaganda Glittering generalities: in advertisements, general facts will be told of a candidate to make them seem like they’ve accomplished a lot Think idealistic dreams (peace, wealth, tolerance)

14. Propaganda “Just plain folk”: a candidate will relay their story to the audience to get an almost sympathy vote by trying to relate to the voters

15. Propaganda Transfer: using symbols to associate it to the candidate Think colors, American symbols, animals

16. Voting Process Voter Qualifications a. can register at age 18 b. must be a US citizen c. belong to a district (based off of your permanent address) d. usually pick a party to associate with

17. Voting Process Early Voting a. voters can apply for absentee ballots to cast their votes weeks before the actual election. b. goes through the mail c. intended to be for the sick or disabled who couldn’t physically go to the polls, now states have broadened the laws to extend the absentee vote to more people.

18. Voting Process Ways to Vote a. Voting Machines (Thomas Edison patented the first voting machine) b. Electronic Data Processing (EDP) - punch card ballots (problems can lead to disputes in elections) c. Touch-Screen d. Paper Ballot marked by voters then counted by high-speed optical scanners. e. Online Voting

19. Voting Process Exit Polls a. is a poll of voters taken immediately after they have exited the polling stations. Unlike an opinion poll, which asks whom the voter plans to vote for or some similar formulation, an exit poll asks whom the voter actually voted for.

20. Elections Partisan and Nonpartisan Partisan: literally means organized into political parties. Nonpartisan; free from party affiliation, bias, or designation (most state school office’s are determined by nonpartisan elections)

21. Elections General Elections a. regularly schedules elections at which voters make the final selection of officeholders nominations for this election - self announcement: simple process, person announces to run - caucus: like minded people select a candidate - convention: to pick party nominees ( national level) -direct primary: intra-party election (state level) - petition: signatures are required (local level)

22. Elections Primary Elections: an election in which voter choose candidates to represent each part in a general election. – closed primary: 24 states do this, only declared party members can vote – open primary: any qualified voter can cast a ballot

23. Elections candidates have to win majority, if this doesn’t happen a “runoff primary” is held (top 2 vote- getters face off again to determine a winner) New Hampshire has the right, by law to hold it’s presidential primary before any other state does.

24. Elections PURPOSE: To assign party delegates to vote for a certain candidate at the national convention. Whoever has the most delegates pledged to vote for them wins. There are 2,286 delegates to be chosen. A candidate must accumulate 1,144 delegate to win the Republican nomination.

25. Elections National Convention: held once every 4 years, where party members nominate their candidates for president and vice president – National committee (reps from each state) hold this convention – In the past used as a way to actually nominate candidates. (Members of the party would prepare their platforms and present it then the nomination would occur.) – Today, more so used to announce who the presidential candidate will be in the upcoming election.