Chapter 5 Section 5

1
Chapter 5 Section 5

• Party
• Organization

2
The Decentralized Nature of the Parties

• National, State, and Local levels of political
  parties often operate separate from each other.
• There is no chain of command from national
  level to local level.
• They are loosely connected through the National
  organization but often have different factions
  and internal fighting.

3
Party Leaders

• The President is the leader of the party in
  power.
• Party out of power has no equal leader. Usually
  several different people competing with one
  another.
• During election year, presidential candidate is
  the leader for the party out of power.

4
The Impact of Federalism on Decentralization of
Parties

• The American Federal system has several
  government officials at the National, State, and
  Local level.
• These officials are elected into office.
• Due to the American government being so
  decentralized, so are the political parties.

5
The Role of the Nominating Process in the
Decentralization of Political Parties.

• The nominating process is intraparty (within the
  party).
• Because the process is within the party, it puts
  candidates in the same party against one another.
• Ex. Hillary Clinton
• and
• Barack Obama

6
4 basic elements of major parties at the national
level.

• National Convention meets in the summer of
  every presidential election year to nominate
  partys candidate. Also writes partys platform
  and partys rules.
• National Committee in theory handles partys
  affairs between conventions. Has several members
  from each state and other territories. Looks
  good on paper but no real power. Main purpose is
  to organize conventions.

7
4 elements cont

• National Chairperson leader of the national
  committee. Chosen at a meeting after national
  convention, serves 4 year term. In between
  elections works with a small staff to strengthen
  party.
• Congressional Campaign Committees each party
  has a campaign committee in each house of
  congress. Work to help incumbents get re-elected
  and make sure that open seats remain in the party.

8
Party Structure State Level and Local Level

• State - Headed by State central committee and a
  State level chairman. Attempt to unify party
  members at the state level.
• Local - Follow state electoral lines. Usually a
  party unit for each district that has elective
  offices. Somewhat inactive until a few months
  before elections.

9
Local Organization

• Ward Unit that cities are divided for election
  of city council members.
• Precinct Smallest unit of voting
  administration voters in each precinct report to
  one polling place.

10
3 Components of a Party

• The party organization those who give their
  time, money, and skills to the party.
• The party in the electorate those who usually
  vote straight party ticket.
• The party in government partys officeholders
  at all levels of government.

11
Declining Political Parties

• Growing number of voters that identify as
  independents.
• Increase in split-ticket voting.
• Changes that have made party more open but have
  led to greater internal conflict (ex direct
  primary)
• Changes in technology have made candidate less
  dependent on party organizers.
• Growth of single-issue organizations. They
  support candidate based on their cause not the
  party beliefs.