Electing Leaders

1
Electing Leaders

• Section 1 A Two-Party System
• Section 2 Political Party Organization
• Section 3 The Right to Vote
• Section 4 Nominating and Electing Our Leaders

2
OBJECTIVES

• What is the role of political parties in the
  United States?
  
• How did political parties develop in the United
  States?
  
• How do one-party and two-party political systems
  differ?

3
Role of Political Parties

• Political party-organization made of people w/
  similar political ideas
  
• Way for large groups with similar ideas to get
  things done
  
• Take positions on public issues and work to pass
  laws

4
Continued

• Allows individuals to have a stronger voice
  within a group
  
• Parties must compromise and work together
• They nominate- (select) candidates- who run for
  political office

5
Beginnings of the 2-party system

• 2 party system- have two dominate parties
• Federalists- believed in strengthening the
  central government through passing the US Const.
  
• Antifederalists or (Democratic-Republicans) tried
  to limit the power of the federal government by
  not passing the Const.
  
• Favored strong state government

6
Demo and Rep.

• 1820sAndrew Jackson led the Democratic Party
  determined the government should represent the
  common people
  
• 1854Republican Party formed by antislavery
  groups nominated Abraham Lincoln for president
  in 1860
  

7
Definitions of party types

• One-party systems- dictatorships or totalitarian
  governments one group or person has power
  people do not have essential freedoms
  
• Two-party systems- create stable governments
  allow for majority rule voters have a choice
  
• Multiparty systems- have more than 2 strong
  parties.
  
• Coalition- parties work together to form a
  majority in a multiparty system

8
Third parties

• Minority parties in the US are referred to as 3rd
  parties.
  
• 3rd parties have had great influence on who was
  elected
  
• But NO 3rd PARTY has every won the presidency.
• Ross Perot in 1992 (won 19) was the most
  influential 3rd party candidate since Teddy
  Roosevelt

9
Daily Work - HW

• p. 258 (2 3)
• 10.1 Worksheet

10
OBJECTIVES

• What are the committees that help major political
  parties, and what are their responsibilities?
  
• Where do political parties get their money, and
  why does Congress regulate political
  contributions?
  
• How does the Federal Election Campaign Act
  regulate federal campaigns?

11
Committees and their responsibilities

• National committee - sets dates, rules, and
  location of national convention publishes and
  distributes literature arranges speakers aids
  presidential candidate
• State central committees - supervise operations
  within the states maintain harmony and
  organization raise money and aid candidates

12
Continued

• Local committees - conduct campaigns recommend
  appointments and candidates raise money crucial
  to party success
  
• Precinct captains encourage voters to cast
  ballots for the partys candidates
  
• Polling Place- Place where votes are casts

13
Money and Regulations

• Private contributions make up a large percentage
  of funds.
  
• Business groups, labor unions and other groups
  also contribute.
  
• Large fund-raising events are held by each
  party.
  
• Fear of corruption prompted Congress to regulate
  the size of donations.
  
• All funds prior to 1974 came from private
  contributions

14
Federal Election Campaign Act

• 1972 - Federal Election Campaign Act passed to
  lessen the possibility of corruption
  
• Any person who contributes 200 or more has their
  name reported to FEC
  
• FEC limits size of contributions in this way.
• Individuals can contribute no more than 1000
  each to any one candidate for primary elections.
  
• They can contribute another 1000 for general
  elections

15
Usage

• Soft money Huge amounts of that is allowed to
  be given and is difficult to monitor how it is
  spent.
  
• Cant be spent on federal campaigns.
• Pres Election Campaign Fund gives public funds to
  qualified candidates who can then no longer
  receive private donations
  
• Given by checking a box on income tax form that
  deducts 3.

16
Daily - HW

• p. 263 (2 3)
• Worksheet 10.2

17
OBJECTIVES

• Who can vote in U.S. elections, and how is this
  right protected?
  
• What is the difference in primary elections and
  general elections?
  
• How has the voting process changed over the years?

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Voting Rights in U.S. Elections

• All U.S. citizens over the age of 18 are eligible
  to vote.
  
• States cannot deny the right to vote based on
  race, color, or sex.
  
• The Voting Rights Act protects voters rights.

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• Disqualified voters include prison inmates,
  mentally incompetent persons, election- law
  violators, and persons with no established
  residence.
• Voters must register prior to an election.
• Do not have to be affiliated w/ a party- You
  would be called an independent voter

20
Primary Elections

• Primary Election- takes place first
• Allows registered voters to choose the party
  candidates
  
• Closed primary only party members can vote for
  each partys candidate
  
• Open primary voters can vote for either partys
  candidates
  
• Runoff- if no one wins leaders get voted on again
  to find a clear winner

21
Independent Candidates

• If a candidate gets enough signatures on a
  petition then they can be added to the ballot.
  
• They usually receive only grassroots support-
  local, low-level, not large businesses etc.
  
• Another way to get elected is to be a write-in
  candidate?

22
General Elections

• Occurs on the 1st Tues. following the 1st Mon. in
  Nov.
  
• Registered voters choose the leaders.
• Organizations, newspapers, radio, television, and
  magazines help inform voters.

23
Voting process today

• Early 1800svoting was by voice
• 1888secret ballots adopted to ensure fairness
  and honesty
  
• 1960sMechanical lever machines were most common
• Direct recording electronic systems
• 2000s-Computer based ballots.

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• Many voters choose straight tickets- they vote
  for all of the candidates of one party.
  
• Others vote a split tickets- choosing candidates
  of more than one political party.

25

• p. 268 2 3
• WS 10.3

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OBJECTIVES

• What is the purpose of national nominating
  conventions, and how are convention delegates
  chosen?
  
• What is the nomination process at the national
  conventions?
  
• What are some methods of presidential
  campaigning?
  
• What is the main purpose of the electoral college?

27
Nominating conventions choosing delegates

• Delegates are elected in primaries or selected by
  party leaders.
  
• Additional delegates are determined by different
  formulas.
  
• Parties agree on a platform- Written statement
  that outlines the partys views on issues.
  
• The individual parts of a platform planks.

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• They also select a candidate to represent them at
  the national conventions.
  
• Conventions are televised events that spread the
  partys message to voters.
  
• Delegates nominate the vice president based on
  ability win votes and potential to boost their
  Presidential candidate
  
• Presidential candidates have the strongest voice
  regarding the choice for vice president.

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The nomination process at the national
conventions

• Votes are taken by a State-by-state roll call and
  nominating speeches for candidates
  
• Favorite sons or daughters nominated to honor or
  delay decision, they are the very popular in
  their home state.
  
• Balloting of the delegates lasts until a
  candidate is chosenmust get a majority

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• Vice Presidential Candidates
• Mondale in 1984 selected Geraldine Ferraro 1st
  woman to be chosen to from a major party to run
  on the ticket for President.
  
• VP must have same qualifications as Pres.

31
Presidential campaigning

• Television and other media advertise candidates
  views.
  
• Presidential debates (televised since 1960s)JFK
  and Nixon were 1st
  
• Computers offer online campaigning.
• Personal-appearance tours (I saw Bush and McCain
  _at_ PC)
  
• Telephone and mail campaigning urges citizens to
  vote as well.

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What is the Electoral College?

• The 535 members of Congress make up the EC.
• When the vote is complete the State gives ALL of
  their votes to one candidateNO SPLITING.
  
• This happens in Dec.
• Electors are not required to vote for their
  partys candidateMost do though

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• Votes are sent to President Pro tempore
• The candidate w/ 270 votes or a majority of the
  votes wins the Presidency.
  
• HOR chooses if no candidate wins a majority.
• Happened twice (1800 1824)
• In 2000Gore -v- Bush, Gore won popular vote and
  Bush won EC voteIs that possible???

34
The Electoral college

• In the US we really dont vote for a candidate!!
• We vote for electors! This is the popular vote
• Electors- cast the official votes for presidency
  based on the popular vote in each state.
  
• of votes each state gets is based on the of
  reps that state has in Congress.

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Electoral College continued

• Congress HOR Senate
• So, GA has 15 votes total, 132 in EC
• The framers of the Constitution worried citizens
  would not be able to choose wise leaders.
  
• The relevancy of the electoral college today is
  in debate.
  

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• p. 275 (2 3)
• WS 10.4
• Test Review
• p. 276 (2nd 1 - 7)