GOVT 312: Parties and Campaigns

1
GOVT 312 Parties and Campaigns

• Lecture 3 State and Local Parties

2
Three Aspects of Parties

• Organization how parties organize as an entity
  unto themselves

• Electorate parties and voters
• Government how parties organize in government,
  especially the legislature

3
State and Local Party Organizations

• Ironically, party competition and strength are
  negatively correlated.
• State laws regulating parties vary. Most laws
  concern financing of state parties.
• Party organizations strength vary (a related
  characteristic is professionalization.)
• The two do not necessarily correlate strong
  parties exist in states with strict laws
  regulating parties. However, where laws are lax,
  parties are strong.

4
The State Party Organization

• Precinct/Ward/Township
• City/Magisterial District
• County
• Congressional District
• State Central Committee

5
Old School Political Machines

• Organized from the bottom-up
• Patronage jobs awarded to party faithful. To
  the victor go the spoils - Senator William
  Learned Marcy (NY), 1832
• Provided social welfare
• Urban machines organized immigrants. Jobs were
  local and state government
• Rural machines 4th class postmaster generals

6
Political Machines Today

• Patronage jobs still exist today. Legislative
  and governor staffers work campaigns on their
  vacation.
• Dont need the same number of people, since
  parties are now organized from the top-down,
  rather than the bottom-up.

7
The Progressive Movement

• 1900-1920 A third party movement that championed
  running government as a business
• Reforms
• Secret Ballot
• Civil Service Reform
• Nonpartisan elections
• Initiative
• Primaries
• City-manager model

8
Effect of Progressive Reforms

• Decline in voter turnout
• Weak political parties
• Didnt kill off the parties, rebirth in the
  1970s. Professionalization of state parties
• Fund-Raising
• Campaign Services
• Help from the Outside
• National Money

9
State and Local Parties Today

• Have grown stronger since 1970s (p.55 p.59)
• More money!
• Have more paid staff, permanent party
  headquarters
• provide volunteers
• candidate recruitment
• provide computer support
• fund raising