Week 10: Party Systems and Electoral College

The Six Party Systems

Political Parties - By the Numbers

  • Percentage of Americans identifying as Democrats, Republicans, and Independents (Gallup):

    • 2023: 29% Democrats, 28% Republicans, 46% Independents.

    • 2018: 29% Democrats, 26% Republicans, 43% Independents.

    • 2005: 34% Democrats, 33% Republicans, 30% Independents.

Electoral Support by Demographics

  • Percentage of White, Black, and Latino voters who supported Trump in 2020 (according to exit polls):

    • White voters: 58%

    • Black voters: 12%

    • Latino voters: 36%

Party Ratings

  • Republican Party Favorability Ratings:

    • March 2024: 20% favorable / 20% unfavorable

    • August 2016: 36% favorable / 58% unfavorable

    • July 2005: 46% favorable / 45% unfavorable

  • Democratic Party Favorability Ratings:

    • March 2020: 22% favorable / 18% unfavorable

    • August 2016: 44% favorable / 46% unfavorable

    • July 2005: 52% favorable / 38% unfavorable

Electoral Votes History

  • Number of Parties (other than Republican or Democratic) getting at least one electoral vote in the last 50 years: 0

  • Last third party candidate to receive an electoral vote: 1968.

Voting Mechanisms & Terms

  • In all but two states (Nebraska and Maine), if a presidential candidate wins a plurality in the state, all electoral votes go to that candidate.

  • Plurality Voting is known as the:

    • Winner-Take-All Principle.

  • GOP stands for:

    • “Grand Old Party”, a nickname for the Republican Party.

  • Commonality of certain candidates (Jill Stein, George Wallace, Ross Perot, John Anderson):

    • Each is known as a third-party candidate in presidential elections.

  • Former President who viewed political parties as a threat:

    • George Washington warned against factions threatening national unity.

Interest Groups in American Politics

  • Paradox of Interest Groups:

    • Many individuals are sympathetic to certain interest groups while expressing disdain for lobbyists.

    • Explanation: This contradiction arises from the complexities of interest group politics in the U.S.

    • Example: The BP oil spill illustrates the challenges and criticisms associated with certain interest groups.

Functions of Political Parties

  • Organize political life in the U.S. and run elections.

  • Recruit and nominate candidates for political office.

  • Link people's policy preferences to actual government policy.

  • Act as organized opposition to the party in power.

The Six Party Systems - Overview

  1. The Federalists and Democratic-Republicans (Jeffersonians)

  2. Democrats and Whigs

  3. Civil War and Post-Civil War Era: Republicans and Democrats

  4. The System of 1896: Republicans and Democrats

  5. The New Deal Party System

  6. The Contemporary American Party System

The First Party System (Federalists & Jeffersonian Republicans)

  • The Federalists weakened and eventually disappeared due to their British sympathies.

  • Political landscape shifted to one party, the Jeffersonian Republicans, until the 1830s.

  • Conflicts within the party led to supporters and opponents of Andrew Jackson emerging, leading to the establishment of the Democrats.

The Second Party System (Democrats and Whigs)

  • Opposition to Jackson from different groups formed the Whig Party, marking the establishment of a second party system.

  • The Whigs were successors to the Federalists.

  • Anti-slavery Democrats merged with Whigs to create the Republican Party in 1856; Lincoln was nominated as their presidential candidate.

Third Party System (Civil War and Post-Civil War)

  • After the Civil War, the South became solidly Democratic.

  • Democrats challenged Republicans through strong southern bases.

  • Republicans represented Northern interests, primarily business and middle class, while Democrats represented Southern working class and immigrants.

  • The Reconstruction program brought former Confederate states back into the Union.

The System of 1896 (Republicans and Democrats)

  • Economic and social changes led to the Populist Party merging with Democrats in 1896, nominating William Jennings Bryan.

  • Republicans, led by William McKinley, emerged victorious and became the majority party for the next 36 years.

  • The Republican Party adopted a platform advocating low taxes, tariffs on imports, and minimal government regulations.

New Deal Party System (Reversal of Fortune)

  • The Great Depression challenged the Republican's response to the economic crisis.

  • Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) drew support from unionized workers, upper-middle-class professionals, Southern farmers, and diverse religious groups.

  • This era began a dominant 36-year period for Democrats as the nation's majority party.

Contemporary American Party System

  • Developments regarding Vietnam and civil rights caused divisions within the Democratic Party.

  • Republicans capitalized on these divisions, electing Richard Nixon, who used a “southern strategy” to shift support toward the Republican Party.

    • Reagan expanded the coalition by including religious conservatives and working-class whites.

  • Republicans built their support base on economic and social conservatives.

  • Democrats retained strong support among unionized workers, intellectuals, and racial minorities.

  • Election Milestones:

    • 2008: Democrats regained control of Congress and the presidency, the first time since 1995.

    • 2014: Republicans gained control of both houses of Congress.

    • 2016: Republicans held the Senate with a margin of 54/44 and the House.

    • 2019: Republicans continued control of the Senate, while Democrats held the House with 235/199 seats.

    • 2021: Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress.

    • 2023: House of Representatives: 213 Democrats, 221 Republicans; Senate: 48 Democrats, 49 Republicans, 3 Independents (notably Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona, Angus King from Maine, Bernie Sanders from Vermont).

Understanding the Electoral College

  • Each state has a specific number of electoral votes based on the number of House Representatives plus two from U.S. Senators.

  • For example, Missouri has eight congressional districts, therefore 8 + 2 = 10 electoral votes.

  • Electors from each state are selected during state conventions and are not the actual House Representatives or Senators.

Electoral College Facts (Numerical Data)

  • Total number of electoral college votes: 538

  • Breakdown of electoral votes:

    • House of Representatives: 435

    • Senate: 100

    • District of Columbia: 3

  • Win Requirement: Minimum of 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

  • It is possible to win the presidency without securing the popular vote.

  • The electoral college meets on the Monday following the second Wednesday in December, with votes certified on the first Wednesday in January.

Electoral Votes by State

  • States and Their Electoral Votes:

    • Washington: 12

    • Maine: 4

    • Montana: 3

    • Minnesota: 10

    • Michigan: 15

    • Pennsylvania: 19

    • California: 54

    • Texas: 40

    • Florida: 30

    • New York: 28

(And other states follow with respective electoral votes).

Congressional Districts by State

  • Detailed congressional district maps exist for states such as Missouri, outlining representatives like Emanuel Cleaver (5th district), Sam Graves (6th district), and Mark Alford (4th district).

Key Terms

  • Divided Government: Occurs when different parties control the executive and legislative branches.

  • Patronage: Historical practice of rewarding loyal party members with public employment or lucrative government contracts.

  • Party Platform: Document that outlines a party's position on significant issues, established during national conventions that promise policies if elected.

  • Plurality: The winner-take-all principle; the candidate with the most votes wins.

  • Third Party: Any political party other than the main two major parties (Republican and Democrat).

  • Realignment: A significant shift where a notable number of voters switch party allegiances, altering electoral outcomes.

  • Straight-ticket Voting: Voting solely for candidates from one party.

  • Split-ticket Voting: Voting for candidates from multiple parties.

Things to Consider

  • What specific difficulties do third-party candidates face in the current voting system?

  • Consider the ramifications of a political system without parties.

  • Envision scenarios with non-partisan elections and the potential political landscape changes.