1. Parties and Elections Review

2. Political parties v interest groups
What is the difference between an interest group and a political party?
How are their purposes similar and how are they different?

3. Party realignment v dealignment
Read article on party realignment v party dealignment.
Critical election: when groups of voters have changed their traditional patterns of party loyalties.

4. Political (party) machines
A political machine is a party organization that recruits its members by use of tangible incentives - money, political jobs, an opportunity to get favors from the government - and is characterized by a high degree of leadership control over member activities.
William “Boss” Tweed (cartoon on the right) was part of a powerful political machine in New York.

5. Richard Croker: New York city politician in the late 1890’s.

6. Plurality v. Majority
Majority means that more than 50% of the voters voted for the person or issue in question.
A plurality means that less than 50% voted for the person or issue, but that vote got more than any other vote.
LA mayoral election. Wendy Greul v Eric Garcetti.

7. Referendum
Referendum: It is not part of Constitution. It is a state / local issue to overturn a law.

8. Electoral College
Electoral college tie: Read article on electoral college.