Unit 2Unit 2Political BehaviorPolitical Behavior

Political PartiesPolitical PartiesA political party is a group of people A political party is a group of people who try to control government by who try to control government by winning elections and holding public winning elections and holding public offices.offices.

The United States has 2 major political The United States has 2 major political parties; the Democrats and the parties; the Democrats and the Republicans.Republicans.

Political parties help link the people and Political parties help link the people and their wishes to the government action.their wishes to the government action.

Parties help unify the people by finding Parties help unify the people by finding compromise among contending views.compromise among contending views.

Functions of Political PartiesFunctions of Political Parties

Nominate candidatesNominate candidatesInform & inspire votersInform & inspire votersEnsure candidate qualityEnsure candidate qualityHelp governHelp governAct as a watchdogAct as a watchdog

They conduct much of the business of They conduct much of the business of government based on partisanship or government based on partisanship or allegiance to political party.allegiance to political party.

Why a two-party system?Why a two-party system?

HistoryHistory

TraditionTradition

Single member district elections in which Single member district elections in which voters choose one candidate for office voters choose one candidate for office favor a two-party systemfavor a two-party system

Consensus –Americans usually agree on Consensus –Americans usually agree on key matters key matters

Election law, generally made by Democrats Election law, generally made by Democrats and Republicans together, discourages and Republicans together, discourages minor partiesminor parties

Minor PartiesMinor PartiesIn American history there have been 4In American history there have been 4types of minor parties:types of minor parties:1.1. Ideological parties – based on certain social, Ideological parties – based on certain social,

economic, or political ideas; not powerful economic, or political ideas; not powerful but long lastingbut long lasting

2.2. Single-issue parties – focus on one public Single-issue parties – focus on one public policy matter; fade away once issue is policy matter; fade away once issue is resolved resolved

3.3. Economic Protest parties - appear during Economic Protest parties - appear during tough financial times; criticize the economic tough financial times; criticize the economic actions and plans of the major partiesactions and plans of the major parties

4.4. Splinter parties – break away from a major Splinter parties – break away from a major party; usually have a strong leader who lost party; usually have a strong leader who lost a major party’s nominationa major party’s nomination

Most States hold elections for state Most States hold elections for state offices on the same day Congress offices on the same day Congress has set – has set – the Tuesday after the first the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of even- Monday in November of even- numbered years.numbered years.

Off-year electionsOff-year elections occur in the occur in the years between presidential electionsyears between presidential elections

A A Coattail effectCoattail effect occurs when a occurs when a strong candidate running for office strong candidate running for office on the ballot attracts voters to other on the ballot attracts voters to other candidates on the party’s ticketcandidates on the party’s ticket

In most States, nearly all elected In most States, nearly all elected school and municipal offices are filled school and municipal offices are filled

through through nonpartisan electionsnonpartisan elections – – elections in which candidates are not elections in which candidates are not

identified by partyidentified by party..

Voting “Lingo”Voting “Lingo”

Suffrage – right to voteSuffrage – right to voteFranchise – right to voteFranchise – right to voteEligible – people eligible to voteEligible – people eligible to voteRegistration – act of signing up to voteRegistration – act of signing up to votePoll books – official list of registered Poll books – official list of registered votersvotersPoll tax – fee paid to vote, illegal Poll tax – fee paid to vote, illegal todaytodayLiteracy test – reading test taken to Literacy test – reading test taken to vote, illegal todayvote, illegal today

Precinct – voting districtPrecinct – voting district

Polling place – place where voters votePolling place – place where voters vote

Ballot – device by which voters register Ballot – device by which voters register their choicestheir choices

Australian ballot – lists the names of all Australian ballot – lists the names of all candidates, given only at polls, marked candidates, given only at polls, marked in secretin secret

Absentee voting – early voting (mail) Absentee voting – early voting (mail)

by those unable to get to by those unable to get to

their regular voting placestheir regular voting places

Voter QualificationsVoter Qualifications

States decide voter qualificationsStates decide voter qualificationsRegistration is required by 49 statesRegistration is required by 49 statesState citizenship is required by all statesState citizenship is required by all statesMost states require an average of 30 days Most states require an average of 30 days residenceresidenceThe minimum age to vote is 18The minimum age to vote is 18Most states deny voting rights to anyone Most states deny voting rights to anyone convicted of a serious crime.convicted of a serious crime.No state allows voting rights to anyone in No state allows voting rights to anyone in a mental institution or legally considered a mental institution or legally considered mentally incompetent. mentally incompetent.

Voting Rights AmendmentsVoting Rights Amendments

1515thth Amendment – states cannot use Amendment – states cannot use race to determine who can voterace to determine who can vote

1919thth Amendment – gave women to Amendment – gave women to right to voteright to vote

2424thth Amendment – made the Amendment – made the

poll tax illegalpoll tax illegal

2626thth Amendment – set the voting Amendment – set the voting

age at 18 years old age at 18 years old

Suffrage & Civil RightsSuffrage & Civil RightsGerrymandering – drawing electoral district Gerrymandering – drawing electoral district lines in a way that limits a group’s voting lines in a way that limits a group’s voting strengthstrength

1957 Civil Rights Act1957 Civil Rights Act – investigated voter – investigated voter discrimination claimsdiscrimination claims

1964 Civil Rights Act1964 Civil Rights Act – emphasizes the – emphasizes the use of injunctions to prevent voter use of injunctions to prevent voter discriminationdiscrimination

1965 Voting Rights Act1965 Voting Rights Act – protects the – protects the rights of minority voters in all elections; rights of minority voters in all elections; forbids the use of practices that prevent forbids the use of practices that prevent qualified voters from using the pollsqualified voters from using the polls

Voter BehaviorVoter BehaviorPolitical EfficacyPolitical Efficacy – choosing not to vote – choosing not to vote because you feel your vote does not make because you feel your vote does not make a differencea differencePolitical SocializationPolitical Socialization – process by which – process by which people gain their political attitudes and people gain their political attitudes and opinions; sociological & psychologicalopinions; sociological & psychologicalParty identificationParty identification – loyalty to a political – loyalty to a political partypartyStraight ticket votingStraight ticket voting – voting for – voting for candidates of only one party candidates of only one party Split ticket votingSplit ticket voting – voting for – voting for candidates of both parties in one electioncandidates of both parties in one election

Nomination ProcessNomination ProcessNomination is the selecting of Nomination is the selecting of candidates for office; precedes the candidates for office; precedes the general electiongeneral election

Candidates can be nominated Candidates can be nominated in 1 of 5 ways:in 1 of 5 ways:– Self-announcementSelf-announcement– PetitionPetition– CaucusCaucus– ConventionConvention– Direct primaryDirect primary

Most candidates are nominated Most candidates are nominated through a through a DIRECT PRIMARYDIRECT PRIMARY – an – an election held within a party to pick its election held within a party to pick its candidatecandidate

Closed primariesClosed primaries – only – only registered registered party members voteparty members vote

Open primariesOpen primaries – any voter may – any voter may vote vote in one party’s primaryin one party’s primary

Run-off primariesRun-off primaries – occurs when – occurs when no no one candidates receives one candidates receives

a majority of a majority of the votesthe votes

Money & ElectionsMoney & ElectionsParties and their candidates draw theirParties and their candidates draw their

monies from 2 basic sources;monies from 2 basic sources;

*Private sources – individuals, *Private sources – individuals,

family, the candidates themselvesfamily, the candidates themselves

*Political Action Committees *Political Action Committees

(PACs) – special interest groups(PACs) – special interest groups

** Presidential candidates also receive public ** Presidential candidates also receive public subsidies – grants of money from federal subsidies – grants of money from federal and state treasuries.and state treasuries.

Federal campaign laws are administered by Federal campaign laws are administered by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and require the timely disclosure of campaign require the timely disclosure of campaign finance data and limit campaign finance data and limit campaign contributionscontributionsMoney subject to reporting requirements is Money subject to reporting requirements is called called Hard MoneyHard MoneySoft MoneySoft Money is money given to local and state is money given to local and state party organizations for their activities; not party organizations for their activities; not reported to the FECreported to the FEC

PUBLIC OPINIONPUBLIC OPINION

Public OpinionPublic Opinion – attitudes of a number of – attitudes of a number of people about matters of government people about matters of government and politics or and politics or public affairspublic affairsMass MediaMass Media – means of communication – means of communication that reach many people simultaneously; that reach many people simultaneously; TV, radio, newspaper, magazines, TV, radio, newspaper, magazines, internetinternetPeer groupsPeer groups – groups of people with – groups of people with whom you regularly associatewhom you regularly associateOpinion leadersOpinion leaders – people who strongly – people who strongly influence the opinions of others.influence the opinions of others.

What shapes Public What shapes Public Opinion?Opinion?

Mass mediaMass mediaPeer groupsPeer groupsHistoric eventsHistoric eventsOpinion leadersOpinion leadersEducationEducationOccupationOccupationEconomic statusEconomic statusRace, GenderRace, GenderFamilyFamily

Public Opinion VocabularyPublic Opinion VocabularyMandateMandate – candidates claim to have full – candidates claim to have full support of his/her constituentssupport of his/her constituentsPublic opinion pollPublic opinion poll – device used to collect and – device used to collect and measure public opinionmeasure public opinionStraw votesStraw votes – polls that ask the same question – polls that ask the same question of many people, unreliable because they are of many people, unreliable because they are not representative of entire populationnot representative of entire populationScientific pollingScientific polling – accurate, reliable method of – accurate, reliable method of polling for public opinion (random sample, polling for public opinion (random sample, quota sample)quota sample)Public agendaPublic agenda – public issues that people think – public issues that people think and talk aboutand talk aboutSound bitesSound bites – (mass media) focused, snappy – (mass media) focused, snappy statements that can be aired in 35-45 seconds.statements that can be aired in 35-45 seconds.

An interest group is a private An interest group is a private organization whose members share organization whose members share views and try to promote those views views and try to promote those views by influencing public policy.by influencing public policy.

A A trade associationtrade association is an interest group is an interest group formed by one segment of the business formed by one segment of the business world.world.A A labor unionlabor union is an interest group whose is an interest group whose members are workers with similar jobsmembers are workers with similar jobsA A professional interest groupprofessional interest group focuses on one focuses on one industry industry A A public interest grouppublic interest group tries to represent the tries to represent the entire country on issues that affect us allentire country on issues that affect us all

Propaganda – technique of persuasion Propaganda – technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors to create certain beliefsbehaviors to create certain beliefsSingle-interest groups – Political Action Single-interest groups – Political Action Committees (PACs) that concentrate their Committees (PACs) that concentrate their efforts on one issueefforts on one issueLobbying – PACs bringing group pressure Lobbying – PACs bringing group pressure in order to influence law-makersin order to influence law-makersLobbyist – someone who works lobbying Lobbyist – someone who works lobbying for an interest groupfor an interest groupGrass roots – organized pressure Grass roots – organized pressure brought from average votersbrought from average voters

Interest groups reach out to the Interest groups reach out to the public for three purposes:public for three purposes:

1.1. Supply the public with information in an Supply the public with information in an effort to gain support for their causeseffort to gain support for their causes

2.2. Work to build positive images for their Work to build positive images for their groupsgroups

3.3. Promote the public policies they favorPromote the public policies they favor

Positives of Interest GroupsPositives of Interest Groups

Help stimulate interest in Help stimulate interest in public affairspublic affairs

Based on shared views, not Based on shared views, not shared geographyshared geography

Provide information to the Provide information to the governmentgovernment

Keep tabs on the Keep tabs on the governmentgovernment

Can limit each other’s Can limit each other’s extremesextremes

Negatives of Interest GroupsNegatives of Interest Groups

Can have too much influenceCan have too much influenceDifficult to figure out how many people Difficult to figure out how many people they representthey representDo not represent the views of all for whom Do not represent the views of all for whom they claim to speakthey claim to speakSome engage in dishonest behaviorSome engage in dishonest behavior