Writing Prompt Questions

• What purposes do political parties serve in the U.S.?

• Can you have Democracy without Political Parties? Why or Why not?

• Do you think U.S. citizens value their “right” to vote?

• Is Public Opinion important? Please explain why.

Voter Requirements

Universal Requirements

•Citizenship: legal resident

• Voting age: 18•Registration–49 states require voters to be

registered

Outlawed Requirements

• Literacy Test• Grandfather Clause• Poll Tax

Political Parties

Unit 5: Ante Up

What is a Political Party?

• organization of citizens who share similar views on issues

• work together to put their ideas into effect through government action.

Role of Political Parties

• Selecting & Supporting candidates• Serve as a link• Acts as a watchdog• Set platform & planks for party

Platform

– A political party’s statement of its goals & positions on all issues

Plank

–A single issue on a political party’s platform

Party Organization

What do party members do?

– Nominate Candidates– Campaign for Candidates– Raise money, stuff envelopes, poll

voters, & drive people to the polls–Make telephone calls

Role of Political Parties

• Selecting & Supporting candidates– Informing the public

–Make sure qualified representatives are carrying the people’s message to government

Role of Political Parties (cont)

• Serve as a link– Enables the branches & levels of

government to communicate

• Acts as a watchdog– The party not in power is watching the

party in power

National Level

– Raise money for Presidential campaigns

– Organize the national convention

– Create the party’s platform• Senatorial Committee – elect Senators to

committees• House Committee – elect Representatives to

committees

State Level

–Work on electing state officials

–Work within the state to elect candidates to national office

Local Level

Cities are divided into districts or precincts

– Organizes local election efforts– Responsible for all elections

Republicans vs. Democrats…

What’s the difference anyway?

Unit 5: Ante Up

Republicans

more socially conservative economically libertarian closer ties to both large corporation & locally

owned businesses than do the Democrats less affiliation with labor unions strong belief in personal responsibility, limited

government, & corporate entrepreneurship generally oppose gay marriage, oppose

abortion, & oppose embryonic stem cell research

Democrats

favors farmers, laborers, labor unions, & religious & ethnic minorities

opposed unregulated business & finance, & favored progressive income taxes

– advocates for welfare spending programs targeted at the poor.

– Environmentalism – advocates civil liberties, social freedoms, equal rights, equal

opportunity, & a free enterprise system tempered by government intervention (what economists call a mixed-economy)

believes that government should play a role in alleviating poverty & social injustice, even if that means a larger role for government & progressive taxation to pay for social services

support gay marriage, abortion, & stem cell research.

Political Spectrum

This is a range of differences in political views between parties.

Political Spectrum in the U.S.

Far left: Radical Left Wing: Liberal & Democrat Left Moderate: Democratic mainstream Centrist: Moderate. Democrat & Republican Right Moderate: Republican Right Wing: Conservative mainstream Far Right: Reactionary

• Many Americans regularly choose not to vote in elections.

–Why do you think people choose not to vote?

• The main reason people choose not

to vote is Voter Apathy – lack of interest in politics.

• Gun ControlR: Oppose-Gun control is unconstitutionalD: Favor – Gun control is needed

• Natural EnvironmentR: Strong environmental laws harm the economyD: Strong regulations are needed to protect the

environment

• Race RelationsR: People & Business can be trusted not to discriminateD: Strong anti-discrimination laws are needed

• Minimum WageR: Oppose- raising hurts businessD: Favor – help workers

• HealthcareR: Private insurers are preferable to government mandatesD: Universal access to Healthcare

• Family ValuesR: “Traditional” family valuesD: Support Homosexual causes

Types of Elections

Unit 5: Ante Up

Primary Election

• Elections held to Nominate candidates

for political office

• Used to see which candidate is going to represent a political party.

2 Types of Primary Elections

• Closed Primary – only declared party members may vote

• Open Primary – voters do not have to register, just have to choose which party to vote for before entering booth

General Elections

– Voters cast ballots to PUT A CANDIDATE IN OFFICE

– Candidates of different parties run against each other for election to political office• Held first Tuesday after first Monday in

November

– Popular vote – votes cast by the people– Electoral vote – votes cast for President

as part of the Electoral College

Non Partisan Elections

– Political parties are prohibited from participating

– Candidates organize & run without party help

Special Elections

• Run-off Elections – when there is a “tie” a run off must be held to determine a winner

• Recall – voter can remove a public official from office

Types of Voting

• Absentee voting – voting earlier than the election day

– Those too ill or disabled– Those who will be away from their

county– Those serving in the military

• Straight Ticket/Party Voting – voting only for one political party

• Split Ticket Voting – voting for different parties for different offices in the same election