Function of Political Parties

How does an electoral college process work?

1. A slate of electors for each state is chosen by popular vote. *Most states have a winner-takes-all system That means whomever gets more than 50% of the votes gets all . of the votes! 2. The electors meet to vote for President and Vice President. 3. The winner-take-all system leads to the targeting of large states for campaigning, although candidates must pay attention to small states whose electoral votes may make the difference in tight elections.

What are the mass media roles in a election?

1. Identifying candidates 2. Emphasizing selected issues 3. Writing editorials, creating political cartoons, publishing op-ed pieces 3. Broadcasting different points of view

What does a third party do?

1. Introduce new ideas and/or press for a particular issue 2. Often revolve around a political personality (example: Theodore Roosevelt)

Why do citizens tend not to vote?

1. Lack of interest 2. Failure to register 3. Apathy, "...It doesn't matter what happens, so why should I vote!"

What are the similarities between the political parties?

1. Organize to win elections 2. Influence public policies 3. Reflect both liberal and conservative views 4. Define themselves in a way that wins majority support by appealing to the political center

What are the functions of a political party?

1. Recruiting and nominating candidates 2. Educating the electorate about campaign issues 3. Helping candidates win elections 4. Monitoring actions of officeholders

What is the effect of rising campaign costs?

1. Require candidates to conduct extensive fund-raising activities 2. Limit opportunities to run for public office (the rich vs. the poor) 3. Give an advantage to wealthy individuals who run for office 4. Encourage the development of political action committees (PACs) 5. Give issue-oriented special interest groups increased influence

What is the effect of campaign finance reform?

1. Rising campaign costs have led to efforts to reform campaign finance laws 2. Limits exist on the amount individuals may contribute to political candidates and campaigns

What are some strategies for evaluating campaign speeches, literature, and advertisements for accuracy?

1. Separating fact from opinion 2. Detecting bias 3. Evaluating sources 4. Identifying propaganda

What is a conservative?

Believing that the government should play a more limited role in the lives of the people.

What is liberal?

Believing the government should get involved more in the lives of the people to help in all ways possible.

Interest Groups have money, Candidates need money. What happens?

Candidates pick up ideas held by Special Interest groups to gain their support and....their money.

The number of electors of each state is based on the state's Congressional representation... The requirement for a majority vote to win in the electoral college favors a two-party system, what do these sentences describe?

Electoral College Process

Senators: 2 House of Representatives: 11 __________________________ 13 Electoral Votes

Example of the Electoral College Process

Education... Age... Income... are all factors for what?

Factors in predicting which citizen will vote.

Citizens of the United States... Resident of Virginia and precinct... 18 years of age by day of general election--are all qualifications for what?

Qualifications to register to vote in Virginia.

Why is registration closed 22 days before the elections?

So the government has time to process all of the votes.

What are the differences between the parties?

Stated in the party platforms and reflected in campaigning

What is the meaning of propaganda?

The communication aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position.

**Extra

The percentage of voters who participate in presidential elections is usually greater than the percentage of voters who participate in state and local elections. Every vote is important!!

What is the meaning of bias?

The term used to describe a tendency or preference towards a particular perspective, ideology or result, especially when the tendency interferes with the ability to be impartial, unprejudiced, or objective. In other words, bias is generally seen as 'one-sided'.

Only citizens who register can participate in primary and general elections, is apart of what type of registration?

Voter Registration and Participation

How do you register in Virginia to vote?

With a application that can be mailed in or in person at the registrar's office, at the Division of Motor Vehicles, or at other designated sites.