Two Party System only two parties generally win seats in Congress and compete for presidency REASONS single member districts winner take all elections ballot restrictions less funding etc resources go to the candidate that people think are most likely to win Fragmentation federalism separation of powers Moderation most people are moderates major party candidates respond by attempting to appear moderates can you appeal to a moderate voter another reason for dominant two party system is that 2 parties do a good job of occupying moderate space environmentalists Minor Parties Single Issue Parties Factional Parties Ideological Parties Is a strong third party possible the majority of voters if they only care about a few issues it is difficult to appeal to factional ideological parties are usually more extreme so its more difficult to appease voters evidence suggests it is hard for them to win an elected office at the federal level hurt by single member winner take all system many voters will not vote for a minor party because they will have little chance of actually winning throwing away vote ballot restrictions lack of public and private funding voter fears of throwing away vote often far from ideological center though can potentially swing elections Nader in 2000 made Bush president Nader appealed to many similar voters as Bush so since people didn t want to waste a vote on Nader they voted for Bush instead taking votes away from Gore Modern Party Organizations Pyramidal Organizations National nominating conventions The national committee DNC RNC State committees and their chairs Further local and municipal divisions If it acted like a pyramid there would be hierarchy but there is not Organizational Control Non hierarchial and fragmented state and local level are not always following wishes of national higher offices Although more closely linked in recent years Candidate centered elections Primary elections the Direct primary Weakening of party organizations The Nominating Process Caucus vs Primary Also closed vs open primaries Send party delegates to national conventions Convention delegates attend conventions which nominate Larger role for public less for party leaders Decline in patronage as source of political control candidates for public office In modern era most delegates awarded by proportion of vote support But also some super delegates 12 5 12 Vote Choice Individual Characteristics Party ID Ideology Race Ethnicity Gender Income Institutional Factors Campaign specific factors Political Parties The Constitution Constitution no mention of political parties Parties widely considered a threat to good government and public Sequence of primaries followed by general elections Winner take all elections Two party system structures choices Health of the economy Foreign affairs Candidate quality and campaign themes order First parties were not meant to be permanent Nonetheless the Constitution shaped them Partisan Realignment Change in dominant party control of government First Amendment Design of our constitutional government usually widespread presidency Congress many state legislatures etc the evolving notion of party control over time Usually due to divisive issues partisan alignment reflects shift in party control these shifts are somewhat abrupt Abrupt change after 1 2 election cycles Durable or lasting partisan change Present Party System 1960s Southern realignment Historically 36 years of so between realignments you can only know partisan realignment after it happened Many southern and in some cases anti civil rights Whites to Republicans Now a period of Dealignment Two Party System only two parties generally win seats in Congress and compete for Divided government no more durable party control Increase in ticket splitting Increase in independents Lower voter turnout presidency REASONS single member districts winner take all elections ballot restrictions less funding etc 12 3 12 local rallies door to door contact local candidates talk to a greater percentage of the voters Less information and knowledge of candidates National vs Local Campaigns Campaigns are more important in local elections Local elections involve more face to face campaigning Challengers Candidate Entry Incumbent advantages Name recognition Money and fundraising organizations Already won before What can challengers do to overcome this Voters need a reason to vote for them and against the Campaigns can be important for achieving this one way to overcome incumbent advantages is to pick the incumbent right time to run Why do candidates run Candidate quality experience Campaigns are shaped in part by strategic decisions to run for what attracts quality candidates probability of success desirability or value of the office office When there is a strong desire for the office better candidates will run Presidential Approval Party of the president affects congressional elections why When is the president s status most important 12 18 months before the election Voting and Elections Affects candidacy and decisions to run for office Presidential approval Economy use shortcuts Voter turnout How do voters decide Voting Voting participation links public opinion to government officials party labels issues personal characteristics the economy Compared to other Western Industrialized Countries the United and government policy States has more elections lower voter turnout higher levels of more active participation active participation people are deciding to get involved in grass roots campaigns donating to political parties etc The Calculus of Rational Voting If all you care about is rationality you might argue that voting is P probability your vote will be decisive B difference between having one candidate versus another in office B how much do i like Obama vs Romney C the cost of voting registering going to the polls etc Vote if P B C 0 But P is almost always near zero C is more than zero So rational note to vote irrational to vote irrational P B C Voter Turnout Why show up to vote Institutional factors Campaign specific factors Individual characteristics of voters Education income age etc Individual attitudes of voters Civic Duty campaign interest Early childhood socialization also a factor Registration requirements vary by state Motor Voter Law 1993 Current controversy voter ID laws Time day of elections Increasing use of early voting voting by mail etc Lack of penalties for failure to participate Closeness of race