1. Political Parties and Running for the Presidency

2. Two-Party System Political Party- –An association of voters with broad, common interests who work to control the government. –Anybody can join one. –Anybody can declare yourself to one.

3. Two-Party System Two-Party System- –Historically we have only had two primary parties. Republican and Democratic –Since 1860, one or the other has always held the presidency.

4. Two-Party System Beginnings of this system: –George Washington’s Farwell Address Warned against forming political parties.

5. The Democratic Party Thomas Jefferson –Democratic-Republican Party Donkey –Possibly originated with Andrew Jackson. –Used in Political Cartoons

7. The Democratic Party Opinions of liberals in a 2005 Pew Research Center study.

8. The Republican Party Abraham Lincoln –Formed in opposition to slavery. –Sometimes called the Grand Old Party (GOP) Elephant –Developed by Thomas Nast

10. Comparison Democratic Party –More Liberal –More Government spending –Regulation of business –Spending for public education –Gun Control laws –Public Health care Republican Party –More Conservative –Less government spending and tax cuts –Less regulation of business –School vouchers promoting parental choice –Freedom to own guns –Reform private health care

11. Comparison To indentify what a party stands for, they each write their own platform: –Expression of a party’s principles, beliefs, and positions on election issues. Individual parts of a platform is called a plank.

12. Third Parties Smaller parties that believe the larger two parties are not meeting the needs of the country. Tea Party Patriots

13. Third Parties Populist Party Progressive Party –Bull Moose party Prohibitionist Party –Arose not to win election, but to promote the ban of alcohol. –Single-Issue Party

14. Third Parties Usually they cannot raise enough money to gain an office, but they can “steal” votes from another major candidate.

15. Third Parties Socialist Labor Party Communist Party USA –Pushed for government ownership of business. –Ideological Party Independent Candidates- –Those who cannot win a nomination by either of the two major parties may follow this path.

16. Other Countries Canada- 3 major parties Germany- 5 Israel- more than 20 One-Party system- –People’s Republic of China Communist Party –Iran Muslim leaders control the Islamic Republican Party All major opposition parties are outlawed.

18. National Party Organization National Committee: –Representatives of a party in each state. –To help their party win as many offices as possible they: Raise money Campaign and advertise for a candidate Organize the party’s National Convention

19. National Convention Held every Four Years Delegates are chosen to run for the presidency for that party.

20. Primary Elections Direct Primaries: –An election in which voters choose candidates to represent each party in a general election. –There are two forms: Closed and Open

21. Closed Primary An election where only the declared members of a party are allowed to vote for that party’s nominees. In NC you must declare your party preference when you register.

22. Open Primary Anybody regardless of affiliation can vote for a party’s nomination.

23. To declare a winner of a state, most states gives it to the one who receives a plurality- The most votes. In a few states, the winner must have a majority. If there is no majority then the party holds a runoff primary- Second Primary election between the two top candidates.

24. Unaffiliated Candidates To get on the ballot, this candidate must obtain a petition.

25. Propaganda Propaganda: –Attempt to promote a person or idea. Television ads Magazine articles Interviews

26. Voting Rights Today the US Constitution says that no state can deny the right to vote based on race, color, gender, or age (too old).

27. Felony Disenfranchisement

28. Voting Rights 1790: Only white male adult property-owners have the right to vote. 1810:Last religious prerequisite for voting is eliminated. 1850: Property ownership and tax requirements eliminated. Almost all adult white males could vote. 1855: Connecticut adopts the nation's first literacy test for voting. literacy testliteracy test Irish-Catholic immigrants. Irish-Catholic immigrants.

29. Voting Rights 1870: The 15th Amendment is passed. It gives former male slaves the right to vote. 15th Amendment15th Amendment 1889:Florida adopts a poll tax. poll taxpoll tax 1890:Mississippi adopts a literacy test to keep African Americans from voting. 1913:The 17th Amendment calls for members of the U.S. Senate to be elected directly by the people instead of State Legislatures. 17th AmendmentU.S. Senate17th AmendmentU.S. Senate

30. Voting Rights 1920:The 19th Amendment guarantees women's suffrage. women's suffragewomen's suffrage 1924: Indian Citizenship Act grants all Native Americans the rights of citizenship, including the right to vote in federal elections. Native AmericansNative Americans 1960:In Gomillion v. Lightfoot (Alabama) the Court outlaws "gerrymandering." gerrymandering 1961:The 23rd Amendment allows voters of the District of Columbia to participate in presidential elections. District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia 1964:The 24th Amendment bans the poll tax as a requirement for voting in federal elections.

31. Voting Rights 1975:Literacy requirements are banned 1971:The 26th amendment sets the minimum voting age at 18.

32. Voting restrictions Must be 18 A resident of the state you are voting in. A citizen of the US In some states you must also register You will lose that right if you are convicted of a crime.

33. Steps in Voting A Polling Place: –Location where voting takes place. Precinct: –Voting District

34. Steps in Voting Ballot: –A list of the candidates for you to choose from. Absentee Ballot: –If a person is sick or in service over seas, they can mail in a pre-designated ballot to their local precinct.

35. Exit Polls As voters leave the polling place, they can be asked who they voted for.

36. Running for Office Endorsements: –When a famous athlete, movie star, or any other popular person throws in their support to the candidate.

37. Financing Campaign Election Campaign Finance Act of 1974 –Law requiring candidates to show how much they spend and where the money comes from. Federal Election Commission –Agency of the Executive Branch who monitors election laws and campaign spending.

38. Public Funding Major source for money is the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. –Taxpayers can designate $3 of their annual taxes to go to the fund. –Each Presidential candidate can get this money.

39. Private Funding Other sources for campaign money comes from private sources. –NRA Political Action Committees (PACs) – –Special-interest groups help fund a. candidate’s campaign. –Corporations –Labor unions –Usually they will give their money to the incumbent.

40. Soft Money Money given to an entire party and not one person in particular. –Must be used on: Voter registration Advertisements

41. Voting If you vote for candidates from both parties, you are voting a Split ticket. If you vote for all the candidates from the party, you are voting a Straight ticket.

42. Initiative: –Common citizens write their own Bill. Recall: –Removing a public official through the vote. Referendum: –Common citizens vote on a Bill.