3. Agenda:
1. Compare/Contrast the two party system with the
multi-party system
2. Discuss political ideologies across the political
spectrum
3. Outline how political parties are set up and their
importance
4. Compare/contrast the primary election with the
general election
5. Explain the role the electoral college plays in
electing presidents
4. Elections and the Voting Process
Two Party System
POLITICAL PARTY – a group of citizens with similar views
on public issues who work to put their ideas into effective
political action.
Role of a political party
• NOMINATE or select the candidates to run for
political office.
• Convince VOTERS to elect a candidate that
supports the party’s ideas.
• Raise $
• Give SPEECHES
• Hold RALLIES and FUNDRAISERS
5. Conservative or Liberal
Political parties are often given a label that indicates
their overall stance on issues.
Republicans = CONSERVATIVE
Democrats = LIBERAL.
Don’t forget Libertarians (no government
involvement) and Socialists (gov’t controls all
aspects) Range of views are measured on a
POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
7. Conservative: Strong military, tax cuts for business, pro-
help others and help yourself, pro-life, small government
is better, pro-death penalty, global warming is natural not
man made, pro 2nd Amendment
Liberal: Limited military, pro-social welfare programs
(education, welfare, etc.), tax the wealthy, pro-abortion,
large government involvement, anti-death penalty, pro-
environment/regulation to protect, pro-gun control
**** You can be conservative on some issues and liberal
on others – Ex. __Social_ liberal but a
FISCAL/ECONOMIC conservative
8. Who has the power?
The US today has a TWO PARTY SYSTEM or two
main political parties. Another example is SINGLE
party system (Nazi Germany, or China). This is
bad because citizens almost always lose rights.
MULTI-PARTY system found in Europe and often
has coalitions - no clear majority.
The two main political parties are REPUBLICAN
or GOP (more Conservative) and DEMOCRATIC
(more Liberal)
9. Third Parties
• Parties such as the Green Party, Libertarian Party,
Reform Party, etc. serve an important purpose.
• History
Probably the most powerful third party was the
PROGRESSIVE PARTY of 1912. Teddy Roosevelt
ran and took votes away from Taft (the reason Teddy
was running), leading W. Wilson to victory
In 1992 H. Ross Perot of the Reform Party ran
winning 19 percent of vote (Probably losing Bush
#1. the presidency) In 2000 Ralph Nader of Green
Party took votes away for Al Gore.
10. Importance
Allows voters to show their anger/displeasure with
main party
Bring new ideas the other two parties may be
UNWILLING TO DISCUSS.
Populist Party of late 1800’s brought the issue
of WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE to the state. TEA
Party today = GOVERNMENT SPENDING
11. Political Party Organization
Party members have established procedures for
carrying out activities. On each level there is a
Committee. Their special meetings are called
CAUCUSES
National Committee –
elected by a State Convention, voters in a
statewide election or chosen by the state central
committee
Chairperson is chosen by the party’s Presidential
Candidate or committee members
Chooses the TIME, DATE, and LOCATION
for the NATIONAL CONVENTION -
Where/when the party’s president/vice
president are chosen
13. State Committee
Helps the National Committee by raising money, and organizes Campaigns
to help candidates win elections. State Committee Chairperson is often a
member of the National Committee too.
Local Organization
Responsible for conducting all local campaigns
During an election all counties, cities, wards, etc. are divided into VOTING
PRECINCTS. Each one has its own POLLING PLACE_ or where voting
takes place.
**** Examples FIREHALLS, SCHOOLS, MUNICIPAL
BUILDINGS, CHURCHES, COURTHOUSES, etc.
(iii) Precinct leaders are in charge of getting volunteers out to distribute
pamphlets/reading material
15. Financing Campaign
It’s very EXPENSIVE - it is projected that in 2012
Presidential election over 1 BILLION dollars will be spent
on election
• Voters, business groups, labor unions, and
organizations may contribute to the political
party/candidate = PRIVATE $$$ HARD MONEY
Restrictions
* BCRA of 2002 requires every political candidate to report any
donation and name of person donating over $100.. Also limited the
amount of money given in primary to $2400 and another $2400 for the
general election. (YOU CAN GIVE over 30,000 to the party though.)
FEC – Federal Election Commission oversees these. FECA – Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1972 was created to limit big money
16. • Created the Presidential Election Campaign Fund – on tax forms you
can check box to give $3 of taxed income to campaign. Two catches –
Must get > 5000 from over 20 states to qualify and once you win
PRIMARY ELECTION you must agree to accept no more private $.
This is PUBLIC $$$ or hard money
• SOFT MONEY or money used on advertisements, etc. by groups is
not part of the federal candidates’ campaign. These groups are called
527’s. They can take an ad out but cannot state directly who you
should or should not vote for.
• PACS and 527 Ads – the Supreme Court has ruled that the
government can not limit the amount of money these
POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE’S spend on the
election as long as they are not coordinated by the candidate
or the party itself. ADS CAN NOT SAY VOTE FOR
THIS PERSON OR DON’T VOTE FOR THIS PERSON
18. The right to vote
Becoming a voter
The Constitution decides who can vote – Any
18 year old or older. Doesn’t matter –
GENDER, RELIGION, or ETHNICITY and
no poll tax – CITIZEN, REGISTERED, AGE
States require you to register (name, SOCIAL
SECURITY #, date of BIRTH, ADDRESS.)
Why – So you can’t VOTE TWICE OR VOTE
FOR SOMEONE ELSE
19. Elections
Primary – usually held in late spring or early
summer and is held to choose the “best” or
favored candidate
Two types – CLOSED PRIMARY (only
those registered with the candidates
political party can vote) and Open primary
(Vote for candidates in either major party)
People don’t actually vote for a candidate
in a primary, rather they vote for
DELEGATES (those people at the
national convention in video) who in turn
pledge to vote for a certain candidate.
20. Once a Democrat candidate wins 2025 delegates
they win the nomination. Republican candidates
need 1191.
Once the primaries are over there is a National
Convention held during the summer of the election
year. Delegates from each state go and nominate
one candidate to run for office.
While there they establish the PLATFORM or
party’s views and policies on important issues
A PLANK is an individual issue that is part of
the platform
21. General Election- Takes place the TUESDAY after
the first Monday in November
Presidential election takes place EVERY
FOUR YEARS
Congressional takes place every TWO
years.
Independent candidates can have their
name on the ballot in each state as long as
COMPLETE THE PROPER
PAPERWORK (PAY FEE AND GET %
OF PRIOR YEARS ELECTION VOTES
IN SIGNATURES)
22. Voting
The Secret Ballot was adopted in 1888 to protect
the privacy of people.
Today’s voting machines can be as simple as punch
cards to DRE or Direct Recording Electronic
systems (like ordering at Sheetz)
Most polling places are open from early morning
to 7 or 8:00 at night.
Straight ticket vs. Split ticket – Straight is voting All
one party (you don’t even look at offices up for
election)- usually the first question on ballot. Split
is voting for candidates of more than one party
23. IV. Nominating and electing leaders
The electoral college
You and I voting for a president is part of the
POPULAR vote.
Our vote does not directly elect the president
– GEORGE W. BUSH lost his first election
in the popular vote but won the
ELECTORAL COLLEGE. He therefore
became president. An elector is one of the
people chosen from each state and D.C. to
pick the president. All of them together
make the ELECTORAL COLLEGE
24. Number of electors for each state is =
EQUAL TO # OF REPRESENTATIVES
Before presidential election in each state the
political party chooses electors who promise to
vote for candidate. If their candidate wins the
popular vote then those electors get to vote
(Maine and Nebraska work differently)
The person who wins 270 or the majority of
electoral votes wins the election.
If no candidate wins majority the HOUSE OF
RESENTATIVES picks the president.
