Chapter 9: Political Parties

Political party

a group that tries to win election to control government and shape policy

Name 2 things political parties do

nominate candidates for office and mobilize voters during campaigns

How are political parties different from interest groups?

parties try to win elections directly; interest groups influence policy indirectly and focus on narrow issues

What cause the federalist/anti-federalist split?

federalist wanted a strong central government; anti-federalists wanted mroe state power

Third party (minor party)

any party that isn’t democratic or republican

What’s a downside of winner-take-all elections?

they discourage new candidates, since only the top vote-getter wins anything

Plurality voting (first-past-the-post)

whoever gets the most votes wins, even without a majority

Proportional representation

voters pick a party, and seats are awarded based on each party’s share of the vote

Name 2 reasons the U.S. mainly has just two major parties

plurality voting and the electoral college

What is party realignment?

a shift in which voters support which party, often due to changing voter preferences

Party-in-the-electorate

everyday voters who identify with a party

Party organization

the formal structure that runs party operations and supports candidates

How does party identification differ by generation?

younger generations lean more democratic; older generations lean more republican

How are parties structured, from local to national?

country/local → state → national committees

What do local/county party organizations mainly do?

recruit and train candidates, and mobilize voters and donors

Party-in-government

elected officials who represet the party

Name 2 problems caused by divided governemnt

harder to pass legislation, and higher risk of government shutdown

Name a benefit of divided government

it can force parties to compromise and checks abuse of power

Party polarization

growing ideological distance between democrats and republicans

What happens to moderate voters as polarization increases?

many stop participating in primaries, becoming independents or general-election-only voters

Name 3 experiences for rising polarization

voter sorting by party, technology/media. and gerrymandering

What’s a key effect of polarization on Congress members?

they vote more consistently with their own party and less across party lines

Gerrymandering

redrawing voting districts to favor one party