Political Parties Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover the essential concepts, definitions, and structures related to political parties as discussed in the lecture.

Functions of Political Parties

mobilize voters, provide a structure for political organization, and articulate platform positions.

Realignment

A significant change in the political party system, where voters shift their loyalties from one party to another.

Dealignment

A process where traditional party affiliations decline, leading to a rise in independent voters.

Democratic National Committee (DNC)

The formal governing body for the Democratic Party, responsible for coordinating party activities.

Republican National Committee (RNC)

principal organization governing Republican Party, overseeing party operations and election strategies.

Structural Barriers to Third Parties

proprietary electoral rules and funding challenges.

Political Outreach

Efforts by political parties to connect with and mobilize voters, often through campaigns and messaging.

Third-Party Agendas

The platforms and policies proposed by third parties, which often highlight issues not covered by the major parties.

Mobilization of Voters

The process by which political parties encourage and facilitate voter participation in elections.

Appeals to Demographic Coalitions

Strategies used by political parties to engage specific groups of voters based on shared characteristics, such as ethnicity or socio-economic status.

Linakge Institutions

Organizations that connect citizens to government, such as political parties, interest groups, and the media.

Canada-centered Campains

Some voters focus more on the candidate than their party identification

Primary System

Citizens have more power to choose their part’s canadatyes 

Critical Elections

Lead to a long lasting shirt in party coalitions

Party realignment

Dramatic Long lasting shirts of party affiliation

Campaign Finance Law

Canadated are less reliant on parties for fundraising

Structural barriers

Official laws and polices that act as barriers for their party success

Winner takes all district 

The winner in each district goes yo congress nothing for second place

Proportional Representation

A single election with the house apportioned based on the proportion of votes for each party

Structural barrier

winner takes all congressional districts instead of proportional representation

Plurality System

Canadates who wins the most votes wins the congressional seat

Majority system

A candidate must get more than 50% fi the voters to win

Ballot Requirements

Money and petition signatures needed to get a party on the ballot

Electoral cvollaghe

Most states are winner takes all

Informal barriers

Major parties inching pooular proportions of third party platforms in their own platforms

Supper delegate 

Party leaders and elected officials who have the freedom to support any candidate at the convention, regardless of pledge.

RNCC

Republican National Congressional Committee

DNCC

Democratic National Convention Committee, responsible for organizing the Democratic National Convention.

Party leaders

and elected officials in a political party who play key roles in decision-making and candidate support.