1. AP Gov
Political Parties
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2. Party Structure National Convention National Committee
Meets every 4 Years and Nominates the President
Convention Bounce
National Committee
Manages party affairs on a daily basis
State and Local Committees
While there is a national committee, THERE IS NOT A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT
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3. Goal of a Political Party?
WIN ELECTIONS
Gain Control of the Gov.

4. Function of Parties
Connecting citizens to government (linkage institution)
-Political Efficacy – citizen participation level and awareness of government decisions
Run candidates for political office
Inform the public
Party Platform
Help voters decide who to vote for in elections
Voting Cue
Straight Ticket vs. Split Ticket

5. Rise and Decline of Political Parties
Founders- Disliked parties, thinking of them as “Factions”
Federalist 10
Washington spent most of his Farewell Address condemning parties
Thomas Jefferson started the first Party, Republicans in 1790
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6. Party Realignments
This is a very rare occurrence in which existing party affiliations change dramatically and the change lasts over several election cycles
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7. Critical Elections
Critical Election- election that signals a party realignment through voter polarization around new issues
2006
2008
2010
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8. No more Realignment Just Dealignment
A general decline in partisan identification and loyalty in the electorate
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9. Declining Loyalty
Republicans and Democrats are split fairly evenly…about 1/3rd for each side
Number of Independents are on the rise
In % said they were Independents but only 20 years later it rose to almost 38% which is where we stand today
However, most “independents” have been found to lean quite strongly to one direction or the other…Most choose not to self identify with a party
This could signal an erosion in the appeal of the parties
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10. Impact of Parties
The Mass of potential voters who identify with party labels
Party Identification
Voters identify with a party but rarely belong to it
They do not physically join or pay dues
Becomes a voter’s central political reference symbol and a way of interpreting a complex world
Party Loyalties normally come from one’s parents but can be influenced in other ways?
What ways?
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11. Party Stables? These trends seem to hold true
Labor Unions tend to vote Democratic
South and Midwest still tend to vote Republican while the Northeast goes Dem
Over 80% of African Americans and many Hispanics vote Democratic
Young People are again becoming more democratic
GOP attracts white collar but the Democratic attracts the Blue collar worker
Married voters tend to lean Republican and widowed are mostly democrats
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