A. nominate candidates for public office ensuring minimum qualifications.
B. structure the voting choice by reducing the
number of candidates running for election.
C. propose alternative government programs, helping
to choose between policies as well as between personalities.
D. coordinate the actions of government officials,
helping to bridge the separation of powers.
E. organize the government.
A. An era of party control or dominance of government.
B. Critical elections: elections that produced a sharp
change in existing party loyalty, and a lasting electoral
realignment.
1. Election of 1860: Republican party was
dominant in the North and the Democratic Party in the South.
2. Election of 1896: Republicans became
more closely allied with industrial and business interests
in the East and Midwest.
3. Election of 1932: Democrats forged a national majority
out of urban workers (blue collar), middle-class liberals,
European immigrants, and southerners.
C. Consensus on Fundamental Issue
D. Change in the electorate
1. Expansion of the electorate
2. Contraction of the electorate
A. The proportion of Republicans and Democrats far exceeds the proportion
of Independents.
B. The proportion of Democrats consistently exceeds that of Republicans.
C. The proportion of Democrats has shrunk since 1952 to the benefit
of both Republicans and Independents.
D. In 1992, cultural factors (i.e., race & religion)
have more effect on party preference than socioeconomic factors
(i.e., income & occupation) which in turn are more important than region.
1. white Protestants tend to be Republicans;
minorities, Jews and Catholics tend to be Democrats.
2. People who are low in education, income, and occupational status
tend to be Democrats.
3. Women are far more likely to be Democrats
than are men.
A. First Party System: 1789 to 1800
1. Dominant Party: Federalist (Washington, Adams)
2. Issue Consensus: American Nationalism
3. Electorate Expanded (westward movement)
B. Second Party System: 1800 to1856
1. Dominant Party: Democratic-Republican (Jefferson,
Madison,Monroe, John Quincy Adams)
2. Issue Consensus: National Expansion
3. Electorate Expanded (westward movement)
C. Third Party System: 1860 to 1896
1. Dominant Party: Republican (Lincoln)
2. Issue Consensus: Abolition of Slavery
3. Electorate: Contracted (expulsion of South)
D. Fourth Party System: 1896 to 1928
1. Dominant Party: Republican (McKinley)
2. Issue Consensus: Industrialization
3. Electorate: Expanded (immigration of labor)
E. Fifth Party System: 1932 to 1968
1. Dominant Party: Democratic (Franklin D. Roosevelt, Truman,
Kennedy, Johnson)
2. Issue Consensus: Federal Role in Management of Economy
(New Deal)
3. Electorate: Expanded (immigration of labor)
F. Dealignment: 1972 to ?
1. Dominant Party: None (Divided Control; Independents &
Issue Voting)
2. Issue Consensus: None (Media Campaigns--emotions)
3. Electorate: Expanded (18 to 20 year old voters)
A. Closed primary: voters required to register with a
political party and may only vote in the primary of that party.
B. Open primary: voters do not register with a political
party, and they may choose which party's primary to vote in.
C. Blanket primary: all candidates for a particular office
are listed on the same ballot; voters may voter for the candidate of any
party; top vote getters in each party nominated.
D. California traditional has used the closed primary; beginning in
1998, California will use a
blanket primary.
E. Eighteen (18) states use a caucus or convention
to nominate candidates instead of a primary election.
II. American Party Systems
III. Party Identification: voters sense of psychological
attachment which is not the same thing as voting for the party
in any given election.
III. History of American Party Systems
IV. Nominations, Elections and Campaigns
I. Nominations: