1. Political Parties Theory

2. What is a political party? A team of people seeking to control the governing apparatus by winning elected office. Institutional characteristics: Nongovernmental political institution Endogenous institution

3. Who makes up a political party? Office seekers Benefit seekers Not voters

4. Freewrite The framers thought that parties were bad for America. Were they right? What are parties’ negative effects on the political system? What are their positive effects? What would politics be like without them? As usual, you will turn in this freewrite for participation credit.

5. Problems that political parties solve Reducing transaction costs in legislating Mobilizing voters Regulating conflict Enforcing collective responsibility

6. Why two political parties Single member, plurality districts Electoral college Ballot Access Restrictions Campaign Finance Laws Voter loyalty Hard to raise money Hard to get media attention Hard to recruit strong candidates

7. 3 rd Party Candidates with 5% of PV YearNamePartyPercent 1848Van BurenFree Soil10% 1856FillmoreWhig-American21% 1860BreckinridgeSouthern Democrat18% 1860BellConstitutional Union12% 1892WeaverPopulist8% 1912TRProgressive27% 1924LaFolletteProgressive16% 1968WallaceAmer. Independent13% 1980AndersonIndependent6% 1992PerotReform19% 1996PerotReform8%

8. 8 minor party candidates have won Electoral Votes… 1832: Anti Masonic party, 7EV 1856: Know-Nothing Party, 8 EV 1860: Constitutional Union Party, 39 EV 1892: Populist Party, 22 EV 1912: Progressive Party, 88 EV 1924: Progressive Party, 13 EV 1948: Dixiecrat Party, 39 EV (2% of PV!) 1968: American Independent Party, 46 EV

9. Significant Nader votes, 2000 State (EV) Nader % of vote % of votes separating Bush and Gore FL (25)1.63%.01% NM (5)3.55%.06% IA (7)2.23%.32% OR (7)5.04%.44% WI (11)3.62%.22%