Development of Political PartiesSection 1

Political Parties• Political Party=is an organization of

individuals with broad, common interests who organize to win elections, to operate the government, and to thereby influence government policy.

• U.S. is a Two-Party System

Growth of American Parties• Constitution says nothing about political

parties• Thomas Jefferson (Democrat-Republican Party)

– Limit the power of the national government

• Alexander Hamilton (Federalist Party)

– Believed in a stronger national government

Democratic Party

In 1828, the Democratic-Republican Party split.

Those who supported Candidate Andrew Jackson took the name Democratic Party.

The Republican Party

• 1854 a group of Wigs and Democrats opposed slavery and formed the Republican Party

• Lincoln was elected as the first Republican president in 1860

• Since then Republicans and Democrats have been the major parties in our system.

Third Parties• Third Parties challenges the two major

parties.

• Third parties often promoted ideas that were first unpopular or hotly debated. Democrats and Republicans eventually adopted their ideas.– Populist Party: called for direct elections of

senators and an 8 hour working day– Progressive Party: promoted the direct

primary. Introduced the idea of an initiative and referendum.

Single-Issue Parties

• Prohibitionist party formed in 1872, wanted to ban the sale of alcohol.

Ideological Parties

• An ideology is a set of beliefs about human nature and government institutions.

• Socialist Labor Party and the Communist Party USA

• Libertarian Party

Independent Candidates• Sometimes third parties form around

strong candidates with strong personalities.

• In 1992 a wealthy business leader H. Ross Perot challenged both major-party candidates.

Obstacles for Third Parties• Rarely win major elections.

• Must obtain a large number of voters signatures to get their names put on a ballot.

• Have trouble raising money to compete in campaigns against the major-party candidates.

Other Party Systems

• Multiparty Systems= three or more parties compete for control of the government.– Canada has 3– Germany has 5– Israel has more than 20

*Rarely does one party win enough support to control the government, so several parties often must work together

Other Party systems

• One-Party System= Party and government are nearly the same thing– Peoples Republic of China has the

Communist Party

Elections are an empty exercise because there are no rival candidates.

Am I a Republican or Democrat???

How the Parties Differ

• Republicans– Less Government regulation

• Democrats– The Federal Government should be more

directly involved in regulating the economy and in providing housing, income, education, and jobs for the poor.

*Abortion, Gun Control, Iraq, Terrorism, Energy*

How Parties Differ

• Both try to appeal to as many voters as possible

• Avoid radical and extreme positions

Platform and Plank

• Platform=A series of statements expressing the parties principles, beliefs, and positions on election issues.– What the party will do if it wins

• Each Individual position is called a plank

My Platform

DEFEATING TERRORISM

-Improving intelligence to stop and find terrorists

ACHIEVING ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

-Create the energy-efficient vehicles of tomorrow.

HAVE A GROWING ECONOMY

-Create more jobs

IN-Class Activity

1. Create a political Party (come up with a name) and a Platform

2. Have at least 4 different Planks (or Positions). Explain how you are going to achieve that plank.

*what issues are important to you*

3. Come up with a party symbol (Appropriate!)

Roles of Political Parties Today

Chapter 9

Section 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.

• Each party has a national committee made up of representatives from every state. – It raises funds for presidential elections– organizes the party’s National Convention– Creates Advertisements

Republican National Committee

• Steele--Republican National Chairmen

• National Convention

-Minneapolis, Minnesota

September 1-4, 2008

http://www.gop.com/

Democratic National Committee

• Tim Kaine--Democratic National Chairmen

• National Convention

-Denver, Colorado

-August 25-28, 2008

http://www.democrats.org/

National Conventions• 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.

• These delegates pledge support to that Presidential candidate and vote for them at the convention.

• 2008 Presidential Delegate Tracker

National Conventions

National Conventions

• 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.

State and Local Organizations

• Each party has 50 state organizations that work to elect their party’s candidates for national office.

• State Committees also focus on electing party candidates to state offices– Governor, attorney general, state legislators

• NC Republican site

What is a Precinct?

• Each city or county is divided into election districts or precincts.

• A precinct is a geographic area that contains a specific number of voters.

• It may be an entire small town or part of a large city.

• All voters in a precinct use the same voting place. Where are these places?

Carteret County has 34 PrecinctsAtlanticAtlantic BeachBeaufort 1Beaufort 2BettieBogueBroad CreekCape CarteretCedar IslandDavisEmerald IsleHarkers IslandPeletierSea LevelSmyrnaStacyStella

HarlowIndian BeachMarshallbergMerrionMill CreekMorehead 1Morehead 2Morehead 3Morehead 4Newport 1Newport 2North RiverOtwayPine Knoll ShoresWildwoodWillistonWiregrass

Precinct

• 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.

County Committees

• 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.

• Does anyone know Al Behler (R) or

Hugh Wilde (D)?

State and Local Organizations

• Local party people build support at the “grassroots” level.

• Local leaders must know how their neighbors feel about issues important to them.

Political Machines

• 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.

• At a time when no social service agencies existed, political machines provided needy citizens with jobs, food, and other services in return for votes.

Joining a political party

• 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.

Review

_________represent their state at their party’s national convention.

A. Delegates

B. Wards

C. Precincts

D. County chairpersons

What is the election unit that is made up of several adjoining precincts?

A. district

B. delegation

C. caucus

D. ward

What is the first job of delegates to a party’s national convention?

A. nominating candidates for president

B. speaking on behalf of nominees

C. forming caucuses

D. writing the party platform

Local party leaders try to build support for their party at the________, or neighborhood, level.

A. district

B. grassroots

C. ward

D. street

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.

Direct Primaries• 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.

Democratic Candidates

Republican Candidates

Closed and Open Primaries

• Most states hold closed primaries in which only declared members may vote for the party’s nominees.– Independents can’t vote

• A few states hold an open primary in which voters need not declare a party preference to vote for the party’s nominees.

Mr. Roberts, what is a Caucus?!?!

• Caucus= Is a meeting of party leaders to discuss issues or to choose candidates.

• Open meetings at churches, schools, public buildings, and even homes.

• Iowa and Nevada Caucuses

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. If no candidate receives a majority, the party holds a runoff primary between the two top votegetters.

• An unaffiliated candidate may get on the ballot if enough voters sign a petition–a paper declaring support for the candidate.

New Hampshire Primary

2008 Presidential Primary Results

6 Functions of Political Parties

1. Parties raise money for the campaign and help get the candidates’ views across to the public.

2. They make sure supporters are registered to vote and actually vote.

3. Through campaign pamphlets, speeches, and advertising, parties inform citizens about issues and the way government works.

Other Party Roles

4. 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.

Other Party Roles5. Operate Government

6. Party ties aid cooperation among levels and branches of government.– Example: Republican Gov. and Republican Sen.– Shared views and relationships within a party

make it easier for members to work together.

Party Roles

Review

In _______ primaries, only declared members of a party are allowed to vote for that party’s nominees.

A. open

B. public

C. closed

D. limited

Most states award the party’s nomination to the candidate who receives a _______of votes.

A. majority

B. plurality

C. percentage

D. minority