Parties, Campaigns, & Elections

Functions of political parties

Recruit and nominate candidates, Organize elections and campaigns, Present policy alternatives (platforms), Mobilize voters, Provide cues to voters (party labels), Organize government (especially Congress)

Why a 2-party system persists

Winner-take-all elections (discourage 3rd parties), Single-member districts (favor 2 major parties), Duverger's Law (voters don't want to "waste" votes), Tradition and institutional support

Role of parties in Congress

Organize leadership (Speaker, Majority Leader), Assign committee positions, Control legislative agenda, Enforce party discipline through incentives and pressure

How parties promote policy agendas

Leadership controls bills brought to vote, Committee chairs influence legislation, Party-line voting ensures consistency, Use of whips to gather votes

Why the electoral process has weakened parties

Primaries let voters choose candidates instead of party leaders, Candidates raise their own funds, Media focuses on individuals over parties

Polarization strengthens parties in Congress but weakens them with voters

In Congress: stronger unity, clearer agendas; Among voters: more division, distrust, and independence

Winner-take-all Electoral College

Candidate who wins a state gets all electoral votes (except ME & NE), Focus on swing states, Hurts 3rd parties because they rarely win entire states

Why the Electoral College hasn't been abolished

Requires constitutional amendment (very difficult), Small states benefit, Political parties benefit from current system

Electoral College tie

House of Representatives chooses President, Each state gets 1 vote, Senate chooses Vice President

Divided government & trust

Gridlock (difficulty passing laws), Blame-shifting between parties, Leads to frustration and lower public trust

Campaign costs & trust

High costs → reliance on wealthy donors, Perception of corruption, Leads to lower trust and sometimes lower voter turnout

Constitution & political parties

Does NOT mention political parties, Parties developed over time

Federal regulation of campaigns

FECA (Federal Election Campaign Act): regulates donations, FEC: enforces campaign finance laws, Disclosure requirements for contributions, Limits on direct contributions

Who determines voter eligibility

States determine rules (within federal guidelines)

PACs vs Super PACs

PACs: Can donate directly to candidates, Limited in contributions; Super PACs: Cannot donate directly, Can spend unlimited money independently

Types of primaries

Open: anyone can vote, Closed: only registered party members, Semi-closed/open: mixed rules, Blanket: vote across parties, Runoff: top 2 candidates compete if no majority

Political efficacy

Belief that your participation matters in politics

Why voter turnout is low

Registration barriers, Lack of compulsory voting, Voter apathy, Frequent elections, Distrust in government

Why elections focus on candidates

Media emphasis on personality, Weakening of parties, Candidate-centered campaigns

Motor Voter Laws

Allows voter registration at DMV, Makes registration easier

Voting Rights Act of 1965 (how it's changed the electorate)

Eliminated literacy tests, Protected minority voting rights, Increased minority voter participation

Groups influencing Republican platform (since 1980s)

Religious conservatives (Evangelicals), Business interests, Social conservatives

Party affiliation & voting

Strong predictor of voting behavior, Leads to straight-ticket voting

Role of 3rd parties

Raise issues major parties ignore (the major 2 parties then adopt these issues), Act as spoilers, Rarely win due to system barriers

Superdelegates

High-ranking Democratic Party officials who automatically attend the National Convention (not bound by primary or caucus results), vote for any candidate (roughly 15-20% of total delegates)

What happens at party conventions

Officially nominate candidates, Adopt party platform, Unite party and energize voters

Primary vs general electorate

Primary voters: more ideological/extreme, General voters: more moderate

Mandate theory of elections

Winning candidate has a mandate from the people to carry out his or her platforms and politics (opposed by political scientists, favored by politicians)

Electoral vote allocation to each state

Based on number of Representatives + Senators (Total = 538 electoral votes)

Caucus vs primary

Primary: secret ballot voting, Caucus: public discussion and voting

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Limited direct contributions, Allowed unlimited personal spending

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Allowed unlimited independent spending by corporations/unions, Led to rise of Super PACs