Unit 2: Political Parties, Voting, and Elections

American Government & LawWinslow High School

2012?

Unit Topics

Ideology & Political Spectrum Parties & What They Do 2 Party System 2 Party System in History The Minor Parties Party Organization Constitution & the Right to Vote Voter Qualifications Nonvoting Voter Behavior The Nominating Process Elections – 2013 Mock Election? – 2013 PROJECT FIRST VOTE?

Where do they line up?

What about these celebrities?

Mr. ThurstonMr. BrowneMr. SmithMs. Beckwith

Mr. AndresenMr. Goldsmith

Ms. MeehanMr. Hendsbee

What is a Political Party?

A group of people…

Who share a common ideology…

And who seek to control the government…

By winning elections.

So…Which Should I Join?

It depends on your ideology

The “Old” Political Spectrum

Liberal-------Moderate-------Conservative D R

Liberals

LIBERALS usually embrace freedom of choice in personal matters, but tend to support significant government control of the economy.

They generally support a government-funded "safety net” to help the disadvantaged, and advocate strict regulation of business.

Liberals tend to favor environmental regulations, defend civil liberties and free expression, support government action to promote equality, and accept diverse lifestyles.

Conservatives

Conservatives tend to favor economic freedom, but frequently support laws to restrict personal behavior that violates "traditionalvalues."

They oppose excessive government control of business, while endorsing government action to defend morality and the traditional family structure.

Conservatives usually support a strong military, oppose bureaucracy and high taxes, favor a free-market economy, and endorse strong law enforcement.

A Better, Up-To-Date Spectrum

Applying the Spectrum to the Parties:

Democrats tend to favor lots of government control of economic issues, and little government control of personal issues.

Republicans tend to favor lots of government control of personal issues, and little government control of economic issues.

What Do Political Parties Do?American Government & Law Winslow High School

Requirements to really be a political party

Political party v. pressure group

Three elements must exist:1) Shared beliefs2) Program3) Realistic chance of

success

What do parties try to accomplish?

Organize a political majority

Provide electable candidates

Educate votersFinance campaignsRun the

governmentAct as the “watch-

dog”

The Two Party System in AmericaAmerican Government & Law Winslow High School

Why do we keep the 2-party system?

Desire for stability

National election laws

Size of the federal system

“Throw the bums out” tradition

Who is Earl Dodge?

He ran for president in 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000….

For the Prohibition Party

The Minor Parties

Dozens of minor parties (pressure groups)

At times difficult to describe & classify

Most have been short-lived

Some are centered around a single issue…others are more broad

The Ideological Parties

The Single-Issue Parties

The Economic Protest Parties

The Splinter Parties

The Role of Minor Parties

So…what’s the point?

They have had an impact

“Spoiler” role◦ 2000 Election◦ 25 electoral votes in FLA◦ Bush – 246 Gore – 267◦ 270 to win◦ Bush - 2,912,790◦ Gore - 2,912,253◦ Nader – 97,488◦ Bush – 271◦ Gore - 266◦ Just give Gore 51%◦ Bush – 2,960,559◦ Gore – 2,961,972

Critic

Innovator

http://www.politics1.com/parties.htm

Elections and Voting

What limits were once placed on the right to vote? (suffrage – franchise)

What limits remain today?What does party membership have to do

with voting?How does the American secret ballot work?How do Americans select their parties and

candidates?Why do so many Americans choose not to

vote?

Should there be limits?

What limits were once placed on the right to vote?

Property ownershipReligious beliefPoll TaxGender

discriminationCondition of

servitudeLiteracy tests

Constitutional Protections

The original Constitution and amendments guarantee:◦Voting equality – the

only real protection in the original document

◦No racial discrimination

◦No gender discrimination

◦No poll tax◦18 year olds

Voter ID Laws

Pro Con

What limits remain today?

Limitations vary by state

CitizenshipResidencyAgeRegistrationLegal disfranchisement:

◦ Vagrants◦ Mentally challenged◦ Convicted felons◦ Inmates in public

institutions

Your Party and Voting

General elections and voting◦ 1st Tuesday after the first

Monday of November of an even-numbered year.

Primary electionsParty identification at

registrationDo people ever

change?Closed vs open

primaries

The American Ballot

Many different types used

Paper & hand countVoting machines with

leversPunch card ballotsScanner ballotsTouch-screenMail-in ballot All produced at public

expenseWrite-ins

How do we decide??

1) Parents2) Residence3) Geography4) Religion5) Race6) Age7) Income8) Education9) Occupation

New Trends in American Voting

The previous slide shows trends…how much do they really matter?

Two new patterns beginning to blur the old certainties: Split-ticket voting Voting for the

person

Voter Turn-out

Presidential election turnout

2004:◦ 216.5 million◦ 70%◦ 122.3 million◦ 62 million◦ 29.5%

Off-Year turnout

Primary election turnout

Special election turnout

Causes for Low Voter Turnout

1) “Cannot” voters2) Difficult

registration process

3) Complex election issues

4) One-party domination

5) “Alienated” voters6) Simple apathy

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

~Edmund Burke