AP Gov Political Parties, Elections, and Campaigns

Multiple Choice test November 19 and Essay November 20.

What is a political party?

A group of people who are organized around similar political beliefs and seek to elect and promote people and policies from that party.

What is the office holder of a political party?

Candidates who run under party’s banner.

What is an activist of a political party?

Workers who staff the party’s formal organizations and committees at the local, state, and national level.

What are the voters of a political party?

People who register with a party and often vote along party lines.

What is the most common/popular role of a person in a political party?

Voters

What is the main goal of a political party?

To get people elected from the party to positions in government and then have them make beliefs/platform into law/policy.

What do parties do to accomplish that main goal?

Register voters to party, create a platform that states goals for policies or laws of country and to create resources to support the party.

Who are political platforms supposed to appeal to?

Large audience.

How many Democratic wins have there been in presidential elections in the past 100 years?

17

How many Republican wins have there been in presidential elections in the past 100 years?

19

Are presidential wins very consistent party-wise?

No, it’s very back and forth.

Who won more of the US Congressional elections from the Great Depression to 1994?

Democrats

Who won more of the US Congressional elections from since 1994?

Republicans

What is a divided government?

One party controls the presidency and the other controls one or both houses of Congress.

Why do divided governments occur often?

Separate election cycles, term lengths, etc

What is party polarization?

Elected officials from two major parties have become more extreme in ideology and elected officials often vote for interest of party instead of country once elected into legislatures and other positions.

What are some factors that are causing elected officials to become more polarized?

Rise in identity politics among voters, polarized media (narrowcasting), primary voting system encourages more extreme candidates, and campaign finance laws encourage officials to be more loyal to “big donors” than public at large

What is the common symbol for Republicans?

Elephants

What is the common symbol for Democrats?

Donkeys

Who is the Democratic chairperson of the National committee?

Ken Martin

Who is the Republican chairperson of the National committee?

Joe Gruters

What is the national committee of each political party made up of?

Reps from all state committees and territories.

What does the national party committee do?

Establish rules for presidential primaries and assist the candidate who wins in the general election, help elect US Congress members from party, hold presidential nominating convention every four years prior to presidential general election), funnel campaign $ to state and local parties to avoid federal campaign limits, focus national media attention on party, work with related organizations such as Think Tanks and Interest Groups to promote party platform

What are four things that happen at the national party conventions?

They rewrite the national party platform, have a party “pep rally”, delegates are chosen by presidential primaries officially elect presidential candidate from party, and the vice president is announced and introduced.

How frequent are the national party conventions?

They happen every four years.

What is a primary election?

An election for the parties to determine candidates that'll run for the general elections.

What is the difference between primary and general elections?

Primary decides candidates and general decides who wins the office.

Is voter turnout in primary elections typically lower than general elections?

Yes.

Are primaries held on the same days in different states?

No.

How many delegates does a presidential candidate have to win in order to get the party’s nomination at the convention?

More than half.

What happens to the pledges delegates of a candidate that decides to drop out?

They ask their delegates to go to another candidate.

What is a delegate (as it pertains to presidential elections)?

A person who attends the party conventions that are chosen by voters in presidential primaries.

Are delegates who attend the national party conventions more moderate or extreme than the average voter registered to those parties?

Extreme.

What is a pledged delegate?

Chosen by voters in presidential primaries.

What is an unpledged/Super delegate?

Determined by party rules but are typically leaders or elected officials from that party.

Who calls unpledged delegates “Super delegates”?

Democrats.

What kind of delegates make up the majority of delegates at conventions?

Pledged delegates.

Which party utilizes more unpledged delegates at their national convention?

The Democratic Party.

What is the winner-take-all system for awarding state delegates?

All delegates are awarded to the top vote earner.

What does it mean when a state awards delegates to convention proportionately?

Delegates awarded by percentage.

What is “Super Tuesday” as it relates to presidential primaries?

The primary day with a lot of states going at once in the presidential primary.

When was Pennsylvania’s presidential primary for 2024?

April 23.

What was the first state in the 2024 Presidential primary process for the Republican Party?

New Hampshire

What was the first state in the 2024 Presidential primary process for the Democratic Party?

South Carolina

What is a united government?

When president and both chambers of Congress are controlled by the same party.

Is the current government united or divided?

United Republican.

Who is the governor of Pennsylvania?

Josh Shapiro

What is the majority of the State House of Representatives?

Democratic

What is the majority of the State Senate?

Republican.