Political Parties

Petition Method

A petition is a method of electing a person to office by having the individual's name printed on the election ballot. The process usually requires a significant number of signatures and fees.

Nominating Convention

A political convention that is held every 4 years in the United States by major political parties. The purpose of the nominating convention is to select a party's nominee for President. Also, it is to adopt an official statement of goals and principles also known as a platform.

Political Party Organization

A political party must have volunteers in order for it to be successful. Volunteers carry out the work-related responsibilities of the parties at the local, state, and national level. In between elections, volunteers carry out the day-to-day functions of the party. At election time, volunteers help candidates win elections. A precinct is a voting district made up of only a few hundred voters. Precincts have a captain, or person in charge of organizing volunteers. A ward encompasses several party precincts that join together at the county-level. Citizens work together to get their party's candidates elected to county-level and state-level offices. Counties send representatives to the state central committee. At the state-level, citizens work to ensure that their party's candidates get elected at the state and national level of government. At the state and national level, each party has citizens who work together to see that their candidates get elected to national offices.

Splinter Party

A political party that moves away from a larger political party. For example, Theodore Roosevelt became angry with the Republicans in 1912. Therefore, he broke away and formed the Bull Moose Party. These parties usually die out over time.

Primary Election

A primary election is an election that helps narrow the field of potential candidates. Political parties nominate candidates for an upcoming election.

One Party System

A single political party has the right to form the government. This is usually based on an existing constitution. All other parties are either allowed to take a limited amount of control, or outlawed entirely.

Multiparty System

A system where multiple political parties can run for national elections. Each party has an equal chance of gaining power and control over government offices.

Two-Party System

A system where two major parties dominate government politics. One of the two parties holds a majority in legislature, while other is considered the minority party.

Minority Party

A third party is a term that is used in the United States for any political party other than one of the two major parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. Third parties rarely win elections; therefore, they are known as minor parties. The largest third parties today with over 75,000 followers include: the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Constitution Party.

Caucuses

In the early days of the Republic, presidential candidates were selected for presidential elections and other higher offices during organized meetings. These meeting places, or places where political candidates gathered were known as a caucus.

Purpose of Political Parties

Political Parties recruit candidates to run for office at the local, state, and national level. Political Parties educate the public on their ideologies. Political Parties run the government when their candidates have been elected to office. Political parties give members, or people who are loyal to the party, favors in return for their support. These favors can be jobs, government contracts, etc. This practice is also known as patronage. Political Parties act as watchdogs over the party that has the majority. Then, they provide the public with their viewpoint on how the government should be run. Political Parties reduce conflict between party candidates that are elected by the majority.

Presidential Primaries

Presidential primaries are held in each of the fifty U.S. states and is part of the nominating process of United States presidential elections. Although the process is not outlined in the U.S. Constitution, it was constructed over time by the political parties. There are some states that hold primary elections and other states hold caucuses. Some states even use a combination of both.

Constitution Party

The Constitution party promotes a direct interpretation of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of rights. Also, the party promotes the Bible.

Democratic Party

The Democratic Party advocates for social and economic equality; some government regulation in the economy (social programs, labor unions, universal health care, and environmental protection).

Green Party

The Green party promotes environmental awareness, non-violence, participatory democracy, LGBT rights, feminism rights, social justice, and anti-racism.

Libertarian Party

The Libertarian party promotes free market enterprise, civil rights and civil liberties, non-government intervention, and laissez faire.

Republican Party

The Republican party's foundation is based on free enterprise and capitalism; a strong national military; provide restrictions to labor unions; traditional beliefs and values. The party is split on the immigration issue.

Ideological Party

The party focuses on change in a society and does not address specific issues. For example, the Libertarian Party calls for a decrease in government power in order to increase individual freedoms and liberties.

Single-Issue Party

The party supports a single idea or issue.

Third Party Strength

There is a two-party tradition, which means that many people strongly affiliate with one of the major parties, Republican or Democratic. Many U.S. citizens are unwilling to move away from tradition. Republican and Democratic candidates are automatically listed on the ballot. Third Party candidates must collect a large number of signatures from citizens to get on the ballot. There are single-member Districts, which means that only one person wins office no matter the number of candidates that compete for a district. This is a disadvantage to third-parties because they have to campaign harder to get their ideas across to supporters. Many people are not as familiar with third party candidates as they are with major party candidates. There is no proportional representation in the United States. This means that the U.S. does not allow more than one candidate to be represented by voters in an area. Only one candidate can win an election. Because third parties only focus on one issue or idea, they may only appeal to a select group of people. As a result, they may never have enough votes to win an election.

Third Party Impact

They bring national focus to an issue, such as abortion, immigration, or the death penalty. Third parties force the major parties, Republican and Democratic, candidates to take a side on a particular issue. Spoilers are third parties that take votes away from the major political parties. The outcome of an election can be directly affected by a third party. For example, Al Gore almost won the 2000 election against Bush if he had not lost the votes against the third party candidate, Ralph Nader.