Quick Survey Do you agree or disagree with the

following: Parties do more to confuse the issues

than to provide a clear choice on issues.

The best way to vote is to pick a candidate regardless of party label.

It would be better if we put no party labels on the ballot at all.

The Definition of Party organizations that recruit and

sponsor candidates for public office under the organization's name.

The aim of parties is to establish control of government at a particular level.

Functions of Parties organized critique of the party in

power a choice of leaders and programs recruit and nominate electoral

candidates Provide cues to voters Mobilize voters

Characteristics of the American Party System Federalism highly fragmented

and localism – parties most elections are at local level 50 state party organizations governed

by state, not national, laws National party only during presidential

elections New Deal Coalition- farmers, labor,

blacks, and south?

The Democratic Parties Democratic National Committee Senate Democratic caucus, House

Democratic Caucus NY Democratic Party NY Assembly Democratic Caucus NY Senate Democratic Caucus Saratoga County Democratic party Saratoga Springs Democratic party

Nominating Candidates

Primary & General Elections

Democratic Primary

Republican Primary

GeneralElection

Primary Election Intraparty, nominationGeneral Election Interparty, election

Two Party Duopoly

0 10 20 30 40 50Percent of Popular Vote

Youngkeit (Independent)Dodge (Prohibition)

Venson (Independent)Lane (Grassroots)

Brown (Independent)Moorehead (World Workers)

McReynolds (Socialist)Smith (Libertarian)

Harris (Socialist Workers)Hagelin (Natural Law)Phillips (Constitution)Browne (Libertarian)Buchanan (Reform)

Nader (Green)Bush (Republican)Gore (Democratic)

How Many Political Parties?

0 2 4 6 8 10Effective Number of Parties, circa 2000

VenezuelaUnited States

United KingdomSwitzerland

SpainRussiaPoland

PanamaNetherlands

MexicoJapanIsrael

IrelandIndonesia

IndiaGermany

FranceFinland

DenmarkCosta Rica

CanadaBrazil

BoliviaBelgiumAustralia

ArgentinaAlbania

Why 2 Parties?

Plurality Rule 2 Parties

Proportional Representation Multiple Parties

Why?1) Psychological Effect2) Mechanical Effect

2000 ElectionDem 48.3%Rep 48.0%Green 2.6%Reform .4%

Note: FEC, ballot access laws, party funding rules, debate criteria etc. …

Duverger’s Law:

2 Party System-Why

United States Electoral system Winner take all Ballot access laws/campaign finance

system France- 2 rounds

First round, all parties participate Runoff election between 2 top parties

Single Member Simple Plurality SMSP System

GOP 40% Winner Dem 35% Green 25%

Proportional System 40% seats GOP, 35% Dem, 25% Green

SM majority system, runoff elections 2nd election between GOP and Dem

candidate

Societal Consensus United States--Less ideological/religious

cleavages Separation of church and state Desirability of capitalism, free markets

France Desirability of revolution Desirability of capitalism Desirability of religion Desirability of centralization; Paris v. Regions Communists v. Socialists RPR v. Free Republic v. National Front

Third Parties Third parties rarely last

Electoral system- wasted votes Main parties absorb issues

Perot and budget deficits Nader and campaign finance reform?

Evolution of Parties Up until 1952, parties dominate

American politics Party workers mobilize voters Dominate citizen’s conceptions of

politics But are weakening in face of

progressive reforms

Demise of Parties Civil service reform Nonpartisan local elections,

reliance on “experts” The new “intelligent” and

“independent” voter Changes in technology

Rise of Consultants Polling – Al D’Amato Direct Mail fundraising TV advertising Change from politics dominated by

parties to one dominated by technology and consultants

Capital not labor intensive

Rise of Consultants Polling Direct Mail

fundraising TV advertising Capital intensive

Party Identification

- Democratic dominance gives way to Independents- More split-ticket voting and divided government

Declining Party Identification

Who are the Partisans?

Democrats• Minorities esp. blacks• Least and most educated• Lowest income• Northeast• Single and female• Unionized• Jewish and nonreligious• Liberal

Republicans• White• Higher incomes• Married with children• South• Male• Protestant and religious• Conservative

Emerging Democratic Majority economic, demographic, and

ideological changes favor national Democratic majority