Unit 2: Political Parties, Voting, and Elections American Government & Law Winslow High School

2012?

Unit Topics Ideology & Political Spectrum Parties & What They Do 2 Party System 2 Party System in History The Minor Parties Party Organization Constitution & the Right to Vote Voter Qualifications Nonvoting Voter Behavior The Nominating Process Elections – 2013 Mock Election? – 2013 PROJECT FIRST VOTE? Unit Topics

Where do they line up?

What about these celebrities? Mr. Thurston Mr. Browne Mr. Smith Ms. Beckwith Mr. Andresen Mr. Goldsmith Ms. Meehan Mr. Hendsbee What about these celebrities?

What is a Political Party? A group of people… Who share a common ideology… And who seek to control the government… By winning elections. What is a Political Party?

It depends on your ideology So…Which Should I Join?

The “Old” Political Spectrum Liberal-------Moderate-------Conservative D R The “Old” Political Spectrum

LIBERALS usually embrace freedom of choice in personal matters, but tend to support significant government control of the economy. They generally support a government-funded "safety net” to help the disadvantaged, and advocate strict regulation of business. Liberals tend to favor environmental regulations, defend civil liberties and free expression, support government action to promote equality, and accept diverse lifestyles. Liberals

Conservatives tend to favor economic freedom, but frequently support laws to restrict personal behavior that violates "traditional values." They oppose excessive government control of business, while endorsing government action to defend morality and the traditional family structure. Conservatives usually support a strong military, oppose bureaucracy and high taxes, favor a free-market economy, and endorse strong law enforcement. Conservatives

A Better, Up-To-Date Spectrum

Applying the Spectrum to the Parties: Democrats tend to favor lots of government control of economic issues, and little government control of personal issues. Republicans tend to favor lots of government control of personal issues, and little government control of economic issues. Applying the Spectrum to the Parties:

What Do Political Parties Do? American Government & Law Winslow High School

Requirements to really be a political party Political party v. pressure group Three elements must exist: Shared beliefs Program Realistic chance of success Requirements to really be a political party

What do parties try to accomplish? Organize a political majority Provide electable candidates Educate voters Finance campaigns Run the government Act as the “watch- dog” What do parties try to accomplish?

The Two Party System in America American Government & Law Winslow High School

Why do we keep the 2-party system? Desire for stability National election laws Size of the federal system “Throw the bums out” tradition Why do we keep the 2-party system?

He ran for president in 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000…. For the Prohibition Party Who is Earl Dodge?

The Minor Parties Dozens of minor parties (pressure groups) At times difficult to describe & classify Most have been short-lived Some are centered around a single issue…others are more broad The Minor Parties

The Ideological Parties

The Single-Issue Parties

The Economic Protest Parties

The Splinter Parties

The Role of Minor Parties So…what’s the point? They have had an impact “Spoiler” role 2000 Election 25 electoral votes in FLA Bush – 246 Gore – 267 270 to win Bush - 2,912,790 Gore - 2,912,253 Nader – 97,488 Bush – 271 Gore - 266 Just give Gore 51% Bush – 2,960,559 Gore – 2,961,972 Critic Innovator http://www.politics1.com/parties.htm The Role of Minor Parties

What limits were once placed on the right to vote What limits were once placed on the right to vote? (suffrage – franchise) What limits remain today? What does party membership have to do with voting? How does the American secret ballot work? How do Americans select their parties and candidates? Why do so many Americans choose not to vote? Elections and Voting

Should there be limits?

What limits were once placed on the right to vote? Property ownership Religious belief Poll Tax Gender discrimination Condition of servitude Literacy tests What limits were once placed on the right to vote?

Constitutional Protections The original Constitution and amendments guarantee: Voting equality – the only real protection in the original document No racial discrimination No gender discrimination No poll tax 18 year olds Constitutional Protections

Pro Con Voter ID Laws

What limits remain today? Limitations vary by state Citizenship Residency Age Registration Legal disfranchisement: Vagrants Mentally challenged Convicted felons Inmates in public institutions What limits remain today?

Your Party and Voting General elections and voting Primary elections 1st Tuesday after the first Monday of November of an even- numbered year. Primary elections Party identification at registration Do people ever change? Closed vs open primaries Your Party and Voting

The American Ballot Many different types used Paper & hand count Voting machines with levers Punch card ballots Scanner ballots Touch-screen Mail-in ballot All produced at public expense Write-ins The American Ballot

How do we decide?? Parents Residence Geography Religion Race Age Income Education Occupation How do we decide??

New Trends in American Voting The previous slide shows trends…how much do they really matter? Two new patterns beginning to blur the old certainties: Split-ticket voting Voting for the person New Trends in American Voting

Voter Turn-out Presidential election turnout 2004: Off-Year turnout 216.5 million 70% 122.3 million 62 million 29.5% Off-Year turnout Primary election turnout Special election turnout Voter Turn-out

Causes for Low Voter Turnout “Cannot” voters Difficult registration process Complex election issues One-party domination “Alienated” voters Simple apathy Causes for Low Voter Turnout

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” ~Edmund Burke