1. Organization of American Political Parties and Role of Political Parties Today

2. National Party Organization
The goal that unites a party’s national, state, and local organizations is to help the party win as many offices as possible.
Mike Duncan-GOP National Chairperson
Each party has a national committee made up of representatives from every state.
It raises funds for presidential elections and organizes the party’s national convention.
A national party chairperson runs the committee.

3. National Party Organization
At the national convention, party delegates from all states write the platform and nominate candidates for president and vice president.
Each party chooses delegates in primary elections and caucuses, or meetings, of state and local party organizations.
Historically, national conventions were suspenseful.

4. National Party Organization
Today, primary elections generally decide the nominations before the conventions take place.
Both parties also have House and Senate campaign committees made up of members of Congress.
They work to elect party members as senators and representatives.

5. State and Local Organization
Each party has 50 state organizations that work to elect their party’s candidates for national office.
Local party organizations consist of city, town, and county committees.
They include the party’s elected officials.
Each city or county is divided into election districts or precincts.
A precinct is a geographic area that contains a specific number of voters.

6. State and Local Organization
It may be an entire small town or part of a large city.
All voters in a precinct use the same voting place.
A precinct captain organizes other party volunteers and encourages people to vote.
Several adjoining precincts make up a ward.
A volunteer represents the ward at the party’s county committee.

7. State and Local Organization
Counties are the largest political units in a state.
A county chairperson runs the county committee and has great power if the county is large.
Local party people build support at the “grassroots” level.
Local leaders must know how their neighbors feel about issues important to them.

8. State and Local Organization
At election time they must “deliver the vote” for party candidates at every level.
In the past, some local party organizations became so powerful that they were called political machines.
In the 1800s and early 1900s, the Tammany Hall organization ruled New York City.
Its leader, “Boss” Tweed, grew rich from bribes and kickbacks.

9. State and Local Organization
At a time when no social service agencies existed, political machines provided needy citizens with jobs, food, and other services in return for votes.
Membership in a political party is not required, but it offers a way for citizens to be involved in politics.
The only duty is to vote.
Members can choose to contribute money, do volunteer work, or help with election campaigns.

10. Nominating Candidates
Political parties are active year-round.
They keep people informed and interested in issues and candidates.
They try to see that the party’s elected officials do a good job.
They politically criticize actions of the opposing party.
Parties select candidates through the nomination process.

11. Nominating Candidates
In direct primaries, voters in each state choose candidates to represent the party in a general election.
Often the winner of the most primaries wins the party’s nomination.
Most states hold closed primaries in which only declared members may vote for the party’s nomination.
A few states hold an open primary in which voters need not declare a party preference to vote for the party’s nominees.

12. Nominating Candidates
For offices open to only one winner, the nomination usually goes to the candidate who receives a plurality-the most votes among all those running.
In a few states, the winner must have a majority-a number greater than half of the total.

13. Nominating Candidates
If no candidate receives a majority, the party holds a runoff primary between the two top vote getters.
An independent candidate may get on the ballot if enough voters sign a petition-a paper declaring support for that candidate.

14. Other Party Roles
Parties raise money for the campaign and help get the candidate’s views across to the public.
They make sure supporters are registered to vote and actually vote.
Through campaign pamphlets, speeches, and advertising, parties inform citizens about issues and the way government works.

15. Other Party Roles
After an election, party leaders recommend party supporters for government jobs to be filled by appointment rather than through the civil service process.
Party ties aid cooperation among levels and branches of government.
Shared views and relationships within a party make it easier for members to work together.

16. Other Party Roles Parties play a “watchdog” role.
The party out of power watches the actions of those in power for mistakes and misuse of power.
Competition between parties forces the party in power to pay attention to the will of the people.