Lesson 9: Political Parties PDF

Lesson 9 Political Parties The Two-Party System Although, third parties exist, the US political landscape is dominated by two political parties; republicans and democrats. Political Parties _______________________________ - groups that are bound by a common interest that seek to use the political...

Lesson 9 Political Parties The Two-Party System Although, third parties exist, the US political landscape is dominated by two political parties; republicans and democrats. Political Parties _______________________________ - groups that are bound by a common interest that seek to use the political system to attain their goals from inside the system by controlling government. Political parties engage in: Electioneering ____________________________ – nominating candidates, coordinating political campaigns, and mobilizing voters. Governing ____________________________ – carrying out the party's agenda once in office by working to pass laws that match the party’s platform – a declaration of a political party’s principles, beliefs, and stances on public matters; adopted every four years at a political party’s national nominating convention. Actors in Political Parties Today’s Parties Have Four Segments _____________________________ Party Identifiers – people who associate themselves with a particular party because they share its values, culture, policy preferences, or social network. Most of us fall into this category. Party-in-the-electorate ______________________________– members of the voting public who consider themselves to be part of the political party and consistently vote with their party Those who are willing to volunteer, make phone calls, knock on doors, for their party and its candidates, etc. Party Organizations _______________________________ – the democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, both of which are staffed with officials who are paid political operatives in charge of keeping the party infrastructure working. These committees are full of paid works some of whom are elected, others who are hired to keep the party itself operating like a well-oiled machine. Party in Government ________________________________– elected officials who oversee the key function of governing – filing key positions and making policy. The end goal for party candidates and the goal of the party. Party Organization Each political party works at local, state, and national levels to promote and support their party. Precincts ______________________________ – lowest level of party organization. County ______________________________ – considered the “workhorse” of the party system, especially around election time. Tasked with basic responsibilities like mobilizing voters and donors, training potential candidates for office, training members to work at the election polls. Those in county positions are volunteers and are dedicated party members willing to pitch in and run the party as well as attend regular party meetings. State _____________________________ – tasked with recruitment of high-ranking positions, as well as raising money, work to unify the party, works to draft a state platform, hold state conventions every two years where party members (delegates) from each county attend. National _____________________________ – the fundraising army for the office of the president and congress. Coordinate the national convention (every four years) where the party’s presidential nominee is officially declared by party delegates. These events are televised and serve to excite the party behind their presidential nominee.  Primary Elections Choosing Candidates for a Political Party Primary Elections _____________________________________ - elections in political parties choose their candidates for the general election. It’s an election amongst other samemembers party of the _____________________________________ (see pg. 240). Primary elections occur early in an election year. Approx: Jan.– Feb. to early summer and serves as the first major step in an election year! States and political parties coordinate their time and date of election.states Why the discrepancy? Because ________________________ exercise primary control over elections (this is why each Note: Some states do not use a primary but instead a caucus. It serves the state will have different voter registration and ID same purpose as a primary but is simply organized differently. Most states use laws). a primary.  National Conventions In presidential election years political parties will hold a National Nominating Convention (see pgs. 242-243). To (officially) become the presidential nominee for a political party, a candidate Republican National Convention must win a majority of at the - July 15–18, 2024, at Fiserv _____________________________________________________. national nominating convention This may Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. seem unnecessary since the nation just voted on who should be each party’s nominee in the primary elections. Nevertheless, political party rules dictate that delegates have the final say (each party uses a complicated formula that determines how delegates must vote at the convention, and this is based on results from the primary elections). ________________________ are typically party activist or party leaders who Delegates have participated in lower conventions (anyone can be a delegate in the convention process, it’s simply about getting involved with your local political party). Democratic National Note: Although each party’s presidential nominee must be approved at the Convention - August 19 - 22, national convention, other offices that appeared on the primary ballot do not. The 2024, at the United Center in results are simply based on who ever got the most votes (unless a states uses a Chicago, Illinois. runoff election). The General Elections General Election The __________________________________________ (aka: Election day!) is an election in which candidates who won in the primaries run against each other for office (see pgs. 243 – 245). Thus, this time when voters show up to vote they will receive ONE ballot that contains each political party candidate option for each office. Keep in mind, although our focus is on the presidential election, there are other offices that will appear on the ballot, such as US Senator, US Representatives, and additional local and state offices (see the sample ballot posted in this week’s section of coursework). Tuesday TheMonday general election is held on the first _________________ following the first November _________________ in __________________________ and occurs in even _______________________ numbered years. This date may seem strange, but it was set back in 1845 to accommodate travel, Sunday worship, and agricultural responsibilities for farmers. The general election occurs every 2 years, but it’s every four years the office of president is on the ballot. What Comes Next After Election Day? Don’t be fooled, just because we the people voted in the General Election, the results of the election are not finalized (at least not for the office of president). For all other elected officials, the winner of the most votes is the winner, but this is not the case for the office of president. Electoral College The, ________________________________________ actually determines who will be president. The Electoral College consist of a separate group of people from each state (called electors) who will place the official vote for president in _________________________ December of an election year! This means that we may think we know who will be president on Election night in November, but not really (see pg. 245).  What is the Electoral College? First things first: How do we know how many electors each state gets? (see pg. 245). Allotment of votes is determined by adding a states number of US Representatives ________________________________ plus a states US Senators ___________________________. 23rd The _____________ amendment gives D.C. 3 electoral votes. To win the presidency, a candidate needs 270 __________ 538 out of ____________ Electoral College votes. This map reflects the changes from the 2020 census. What Role Does the Popular Vote Play in Choosing the President? Many Americans complain that voting for president is pointless since a separate group of people get to make the final vote. But the popular vote of the state does play a crucial role. The popular vote of the state determines which group of electors ___________________________________ are chosen. For example: in 2020 the Texas popular vote went in favor of Trump, this meant that we sent the group of republican electors, and NOT ANY of the democrat electors. This is known as the winner take all system ___________________________________________________. Note: not all states use the winner take all system. Look at the map; notice NE: out of their 5 electors, they sent 4 republican Maine and how _____________________ electors and 1 democrat elector to vote for president. Nebraska ___________________________divided up their electors based on the ME: out of their 4 electors, they sent 3 democrat electors and 1 republican elector to vote for results of the popular vote. Each state gets to decide HOW to choose president. electors and this includes determining which electors will participate in voting for president (see pg. 246).  How Will Electors Vote? Once each state knowns which group of electors is chosen, they will then show up at their respective state capitols and vote in December. There is nothing in the Constitution _____________________________________ that says electors must vote according to the popular vote of their state. For example: In Texas, just because we sent 38 Republican Electors in 2020, does not necessarily mean they were all going to vote for Donald Trump (President) and Mike Pence (VP). But they did. If those 38 electors chose to vote for someone other than Trump for President and Pence for vice president, they would be known faithless electors as___________________________________________________. Although there arestates no federal consequence for faithless electors, some ________________________ have consequences for faithless electors, ranging from jail time, fines, or the canceling of one’s vote. The states in gray (like Texas) do not have any laws on the books binding Electors which means YES electors can vote however they want in these states and not face any consequences. The 2016 Election did have faithless electors which slightly altered the election night results but not the outcome of the election (see pg. 246). State Popular Vote Name Of Political Actual Vote Actual Vote From State Elector Party Of Elector Of Elector Voters Affiliation For For Vice President President Hawaii Clinton/ David Democrat Bernie Elizabeth Kaine Mulinix Sanders Warren Trump/Pence Christopher Republican John Kasich Carley Texas Suprun Fiorina Bill Green Republican Ron Paul Mike Pence Washingto Clinton/ Levi Guerra Democrat Colin Maria n Kaine Powell Cantwell Esther John Democrat Colin Susan Powell Collins Peter Bret Democrat Colin Elizabeth Chiafalo Powell Warren Robert Democrat Faith Winona Satiacum Jr. Spotted LaDuke Eagle Why the Electoral College? WOW! There’s a lot that goes into understanding the Electoral College and it may seem overly complicated and unnecessary. Why can’t we just go by the popular vote? Well, the Framers of the Constitution struggled with who should choose the president and contrary to what people may think, we are NOT a democracy run by majority rule. The Framers didn’t entirely trust the people, alone, to make such a decision. Majorities are easily swayed be charismatic demagogues, rendering decisions made with emotion instead of reason. Whereas electors act as well-informed members of the electorate in choosing the president (and vice president). The Electoral College ensures that all parts of the country are involved in selecting the President of the United States, keeping the interest of smaller states relevant. Otherwise, candidates would only focus on the most populus areas. Candidates must appeal to a variety of needs, perspectives, and views from across the entire country, leading to more compromise. It protects the minority from an all too powerful majority.