Political Parties & Voting

1. Political Parties & Voting Unit 2: Chapters 5-6

2. Political Parties • A political party is a group of people who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office • Platform: • Formal statement of basic beliefs, opinions, and objectives.

3. Purpose of Political Parties • Nominate Candidates • President, Congress, Governor, City Council, etc. • Combine people who support similar ideas • Oppose ideas together • Raise money to fund elections • TV & radio ads, signs, etc.

4. Two Party System • America has always had a two party system • They have changed through history • Federalists & Anti-Federalists • Whigs and Democrats • Democrats & Republicans (for the last 150 years) • Minor parties have always existed as well

5. Republicans Conservative Party Red GOP Elephant “Right Winged” Do NOT have control of Presidency DO have majority in the HOUSE

6. Republicans • Issues: • Pro-Life (oppose abortion) • Limited/Small government (less involvement in everyday affairs) • Stronger support for “staying the course” in Iraq, Afghanistan • Leaders: • John Boehner • John McCain • Mitch McConnell • Sarah Palin***

7. Democrats Liberal Blue Donkey

10. Democrats Liberal Blue Donkey “Left Winged” Have a majority in the Senate and control the Presidency

11. Democrats • Issues: • Pro-Choice (support abortion) • Big government (more involvement in everyday affairs) • Cut taxes for poor & raise taxes for businesses and upper class • End involvement in Iraq & Afghanistan ASAP • Leaders: • Barack Obama • Joe Biden • Harry Reid • Hillary Clinton

12. Minor Parties • Why are Minor Parties important? • Spoiler, Critic, Innovator • Often have big influence on elections

13. Minor Parties • Ideological Parties: • Libertarians – reducing government • Socialists – Karl Marx ideas • Single Issue Parties: • Free-Soil Party– abolition of slavery • Right to Life – opposes abortion

14. Minor Parties • Economic Protest Parties • Disgust for …….. • Splinter Parties • Break off a larger party • 1912 – Progressive (Bull Moose) • Ross Perot won almost 20 million votes in 1992 Presidential election

15. How do Political Parties do this? • Each party has a headquarters in every state. • Downtown Nashville • Delegates are chosen in each state to represent the state’s interests • Conventions • Used to rally supporters and choose candidates

16. What parties represent us? • Senators for TN • Lamar Alexander (R) • Bob Corker (R) • House of Representatives • 9 Representatives • Marsha Blackburn (R) represents most of Williamson County & Friends • Jim Cooper (D) Davidson, Wilson, etc.

17. Voting Power • Gerrymandering • Drawing electoral district lines in order to limit the voting strength of a particular group or party • Used to guarantee a party will win / lose.

18. Suffrage – right to vote (Franchise) 1776: Male White Over age 21 Land Owning Literate Passed Religious test Paid Tax 2010: Male/Female All Races Over age 18 No ownership qualifications No tests, etc. History of Suffrage

19. History of Suffrage • 1810: most religious tests, property requirements had been eliminated • After Civil War • 13th Amendment outlawed slavery • 14th gave citizenship rights to former slaves • 15th outlawed denying right to vote based on race or color • NOT enforced

20. History of Suffrage Voting discrimination Poll Taxes – Voting fee, administered by poll workers after 15th Amendment Fee to African Americans to prevent from voting Literacy tests Required before allowing to vote Grandfather Clause If a person’s ancestor voted before 1870, they could vote without paying a poll or taking literacy test.

21. History of Suffrage • 1920 • 19th Prohibited denying right to vote based on gender • 1960’s • Civil Rights Acts & Voting Rights Act • 23rd Amendment – DC • 24th – outlawed poll taxes • 1970’s • 26th – Voting age lowered to 18

22. Suffrage Timeline Include 14 items: Amendments: 15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, 26th Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964 Voting Rights Acts of 1965, 1982 Motor Voter Law Supreme Court Cases: Harper v. Virginia Oregon v. Mitchell Hill v. Stone Explain ALL items very briefly

23. Voters • Who can vote? • Citizens of the United States • Legal residents of the state they will vote in • At least 18 years old • States can legally restrict the voting rights of: • Mentally incompetent • Convicted of serious crimes • Dishonorably discharged from Military

24. Voter Participation • In November ‘08, only 56.8% of eligible people voted in the Presidential election • Participation is even lower for off-year elections • Off year – Congressional elections held between Presidential elections • Straight Ticket voting • Voting for candidates of only one party • Split Ticket voting • Voting for candidates of multiple parties • Aka: a candidate’s party affiliation is less important

25. Voter Participation • Idiotes – non-voter in Ancient Greece • Why do people not vote? • Inconvenience • Don’t believe their vote will make a difference • Distrust of politics or candidates • Bad weather on voting day

26. The Election Process • Picking a Candidate is complicated • Candidates are chosen either by being chosen through a primary or making an announcement that they are running. • Primaries are a way for the public to voice their opinion. • They help pick the candidate. • But states do it many different ways