1. Chapter 10 Section 2

2. Political parties exist for one reason: to nominate and elect candidates to office. Parties must be organized well at the local, state, and national level. Must be able to raise money to pay for its expenses Must nominate its candidate for office and plan its campaign strategies to get these candidates elected.

3.  Most important political party committees are at the local level.  They are responsible for conducting all local campaigns.  For elections, all counties, cities, and wards are divided into voting districts called precincts.

4.  In each precinct, voters all vote at the same polling place. ◦ Where voting takes place  Precinct leaders organize volunteers to distribute campaign literature, arrange to have voters with disabilities driven to the polling place, and have party workers telephone voters and urge them to vote for a party candidate.

5.  Presidential campaigns are expensive  2004 Presidential election  candidates raised >$900 million.  2008  $1.7 billion  2012 election  $2.2 billion

6.  Voters, business groups, labor unions, and many other organizations contribute money to the political party they like.  People worry that those who contribute the most will get special favors if that candidate wins.  Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA): Limits political contributions & corruption

7.  Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act: revised the contribution limits ◦ Required to report the name of each person who contributes $200 or more in a year. ◦ Limits individual contributions to $2,100 for primary and general elections ◦ Federal Election Commission enforces these laws

8.  Soft Money ◦ Individuals and groups make unlimited contributions to activities like advertisements about issues that are not a federal candidate’s campaign.  Soft Money now illegal

9.  Presidential Election Campaign Fund: Americans can check a box on income tax form to donate $3 from their taxes to the election fund.  To be eligible: ◦ candidate must raise at least $5,000 from private contributions in at least 20 states.  Then they can receive a certain amount of the public fund

10.  They must agree to limit their spending in nomination campaigns.  After winning the nomination of their party, presidential candidates who accept public financing cannot accept private contributions.  Their campaigns must be paid for only with the public funds they receive.