Political parties

and elections

KWL

About political parties and elections

What do I Know? What do I want to know? What have I learned?

Political Parties and Elections Vocabulary

CONTENT WORDS

Word Definition Draw a picture.

All the people eligible to vote

Organization of people with the same political beliefs who want to influence the government

by getting its members elected

System of politics in which there are two major political parties competing for power

Minor party that challenges the two major parties

Outline of the political parties’ ideas on certain political issues

Lack of interest

Mass communication sources available for public use- both print and electronic

Ideas that may involve misleading messages to manipulate people

Group of people who share a point of view about an issue and unite to support that

belief

A news article expressing the view of the editor or publisher

Apathy Interest Group Popular Vote

Ballot Lobby Propaganda

Bias Mass Media Public Agenda

Campaign Moderate Public Opinion

Congressional Representation Monitor Public Policy

Editorial Nomination Recruit

Elector Op-ed article Reform

Electoral College Platform Soft Money

Electoral Vote Political Party Third party

Electorate Political Action Committee (PAC) Two-party system

Forum Political Process Winner-take-all System

General Election Polling Place

An essay in a newspaper or magazine that gives the opinion of the writer

Donations of money given to a political party and not to a particular candidate’s campaign

Political organization established by a business or interest group to support

candidates by donating large sums of money

Person who works for an interest group to contact lawmakers to influence the

lawmakers decisions

List of issues government official feel are most important to deal with

Course of action the government takes in response to an issue or problem

The way people feel about feel about the government, elected officials and political

issues

Group of people named by each state to cast the electoral vote for the president and vice

president

Person appointed to vote in the Electoral College for the major candidates in a

presidential election

The vote for a candidate by the citizens

The vote for a presidential candidate in the Electoral College

System in which the candidate who receives the majority of the popular vote in each state

gets all of the state’s electoral votes

SKILL WORDS

Process by which political parties select and offer candidates for public office

To enroll as a supporter; a new member to a group

To check; to watch; to keep track of

The process of the creating and carrying out of laws through the interaction between the citizens and elected representatives

Average feelings about political views; not taking one side or the other (someone in the "political center")

Location where voting is carried out; sometimes called a precinct

Regular election that involves voters and candidates throughout an entire country

List of candidates on which you cast your vote

An organized effort to advertise in order to gain support to win an elected position

To give unfair support to one side

To change or improve

A public meeting used for open discussion on politics

Create your envelop and place your

flash cards here

Directions: Circle the best word that completes each sentence.

1. A political party’s (popular vote, platform) informs the voters on what the party stands for.

2. The United States has a (public policy, two-party system) because it is run by the Democrats and the Republican Parties.

3. Bradley came to Sterling Middle on Election Day to vote at his neighborhood’s (lobbyist, polling place).

4. When voting you mark your selections on a (return, ballot).

5. If you lack interest in voting then you have (apathy, soft money).

6. The Sterling Connection newspaper was promoting a particular person throughout the paper; therefore it was using

(propaganda, incumbents).

7. James felt strongly about the Republican view on politics, so he joined their (forum, political party).

8. Many Americans today have (ballot, apathy) about getting involved in politics because they do not have an interest.

9. The (mass media, editorial) in the newspaper discussed ways to change the immigration policy.

10. The (Electoral College, political action committee) is the body that elects the president and vice president.

11. Because Frankie is eligible to vote then he is part of the (electorate, electors).

12. A (PAC, third party) does not often win elections because it has to compete against the two major parties.

13. Avery’s business wanted to help his favorite political party by donating money, so he enrolled his business in a (public

policy, political action committee).

14. The (incumbents, electors) are those people in the Electoral College that actually vote for the president.

15. Ryan gets all of his information about the upcoming election from the Internet and from watching TV, therefore he uses

(mass media, nomination) sources.

16. The Loudoun Board of Supervisors is going to put issues dealing with the traffic problems on the (public agenda,

electorate).

17. The Electoral College is called a (winner-take-all system, political action committee) because once a candidate wins the

popular vote in each state then the candidate gets all of the state’s electoral votes.

18. Mrs. Lake is a (lobbyist, absentee ballot) for the interest group MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) because she goes to

Capitol Hill often and talks to the Congressmen.

19. The (public opinion, exit poll) of the newly elected officials is low.

20. In the 2012 election, President Obama received more (elector, soft money) funds than his opponent.

21. The Loudoun Board of Supervisors is making regulations regarding overcrowded housing therefore it is working on

implementing (apathy, public policy).

22. In an election, the vote by the people is called the (popular vote, electoral vote).

23. Mrs. McMichael wrote an (public agenda, op-ed article) about the recent budget restrictions for the schools.

24. PETA is an (propaganda, interest group) that focuses on the ethical treatment of animals.

25. A person can only become president if they win the (popular vote, electoral vote).

Political Parties and Elections Reading

Voting Voting is an important right and a basic responsibility of citizenship. All U.S. citizens become eligible to vote at age 18.

Before a citizen can vote, he or she must be qualified to register or enroll to vote. In Virginia these qualifications

include: being a citizen of the United States; being a resident of Virginia; being a resident of a precinct, or local voting

district; and being 18 years of age by the day of the general election.

In Virginia there are several ways to register to vote. Citizens meeting all of the qualifications may register in person at

the registrar’s office, the Division of Motor Vehicles, or at other sites designated by the state plus by mail application and

now on the Internet. It is important to know that voter registration is closed 22 days before an election.

Only citizens who are registered voters can participate in primary and general elections. In primary elections, voters

choose the candidates who will run later in a general election. In general elections voters choose their leaders and decide

on important issues. In each type of election, every vote is important.

The number of citizens who register and vote in elections is determined by many different factors. One factor has

to do with the issues being decided in an election. More citizens tend to vote in elections when the issues are important

to them, their families, and their communities. It has also been found that more people participate in presidential

elections than in state and local elections.

Factors such as education, income, and age tend to predict which citizens will vote. Studies show that people with

higher levels of education are more likely to register and vote in elections. People with higher incomes and older

individuals are also more likely to get involved in the political process. Two common reasons why many citizens do not

vote are a lack of interest and failure to register as a voter.

1. Voting is a basic _______________________________ and _____________________________ of citizenship.

2. What are the 3 basic qualifications to vote in Virginia?

3. Who can vote in primary and general elections?

4. What determines how many citizens register and vote?

5. What factors predict which citizens will vote?

Political Parties In the United States, political parties play a major role in our government. A political party is a group of people who

have similar views and opinions on how the country should be governed. Political parties give citizens an opportunity to

actively participate in the political process. First of all political parties recruit candidates who they think best represent

the party’s platform. A platform is a statement of the party’s beliefs and policies on important issues. One candidate is

then nominated, or selected to run for elective office. After a candidate has been nominated, the political party helps

the candidate win the election. The party does this by educating the electorate, or qualified voters, about the

campaign issues and by raising money to cover the cost of the campaign. Once individuals are elected to office, political

parties monitor the actions of officeholders.

Our political process is characterized by a two-party system in the United States. This means that we have two major

political parties. These two major political parties are the Democratic Party founded in 1830 and the Republican Party

founded in 1856. The differences between these two parties are stated in their platforms and in the way they campaign.

In general the Democratic Party is seen as more liberal. Liberals tend to favor more federal government involvement in

solving social problems. The Republican Party is generally seen as more conservative. Conservatives tend to favor less

federal government intervention in the lives of citizens.

Although the two major political parties are different, they also have a number of similarities. First, both parties must

organize to win elections. This organization involves setting up national and state committees to plan and carry out

party programs. Both parties also work to influence public policies. A policy is a plan or course of action for handling

an issue or problem. In addition they tend to reflect liberal or conservative views. Both parties realize that in order

to win elections they must hold more moderate views and appeal to the political center. Radical or extreme views

tend to cause voters to steer away from a political party and its candidates.

Although the U.S. has two major political parties, there are also a number of third parties. Third parties rarely win

elections, but they do play an important role in public politics. Third parties often revolve around a political

personality. For example, in 1912, Theodore Roosevelt organized a third party called the Progressive Party when he

was denied the Republican presidential nomination. Although Roosevelt lost the election, he did manage to take votes

from the Republican candidate. As a result the Democratic candidate, Woodrow Wilson, won the presidency.

Third parties also introduce new ideas or focus on particular issues. The Green Party is an example of a third party

that nominates and supports candidates all across the United States. Its platform focuses on issues such as ecology,

social justice, and nonviolence.

6. What is a “political party”?

7. The roles of political parties in the political process is to:

________________________ then ____________________________ candidates for an elected office

then help the ______________________________________________ the election

_____________________________________ the electorate about the campaign issues and raise money

then parties ___________________________________________________ of the elected officeholders

8. The United State has a __________________________________ political system.

9. The Republican Party and the Democratic party are similar because: Organize ___________________________________________________

_______________________________________________public policies

Reflect both ______________________________________________________________ attitudes

Appeal to the _____________________________________________________ (or the moderates)

10. What are third parties and how are they different from the two major parties?

The Role of the Media The mass media in the United States plays an important role in our political process. Mass media are forms of

communication that are created to reach large audiences. They include TV, radio, newspapers, national magazines, books, and the Internet.

Mass media play different roles in elections. These include:

identifying candidates

emphasizing selected issues

broadcasting different points of view

writing editorials, creating political cartoons and publishing op-ed pieces.

Op-ed pieces are pieces of writing that express the opinions of columnists and guest writers. They appear on the page opposite the editorial page in our newspapers, thus the name op-ed.

This increase in mass media makes it necessary for voters to evaluate the information presented in political

campaigns so that they can make informed choices about the candidates and the issues. Some strategies for evaluating

the accuracy of campaign speeches, literature, and advertisements include separating fact from opinion, evaluating the reliability of information sources, detecting bias, and identifying propaganda.

To evaluate the reliability of an information source, voters must ask themselves a number of questions. For

example, voters must decide if the source is trustworthy and informed about the information it is sharing. They must also find out where the source got its information and if the information is accurate and current, or up to date.

Bias is the distorting of an event or observation due to a person’s opinion or feelings about the event or observation. In

politics, mass media information may be biased to support or not support a particular candidate or issue. In order to

detect bias, voters need to determine what the author’s or speaker’s political position is, who is paying for the message, what sources were used, and whether different viewpoints were shared.

Propaganda is the spreading of information for the purpose of influencing the opinions of others. Mass media enables propaganda to be spread quickly to huge audiences. Because of this, citizens need to be able to recognize it in its many

forms

There are also many ways media play an important role in setting the public agenda. They focus public attention on selected issues. They offer a forum in which opposing viewpoints are communicated. Whereas they hold

government officials accountable to its citizens, or the public, government officials also use the media to

communicate with the public.

11. Explain how the mass media influences elections. __________________________________ candidates

Emphasize selected ___________________________

Broadcast different _______________________________________________

_____________________________________ different opinion pieces

12. Voters must evaluate the information given to them by the mass media. Voters can do this by: Separate _______________________________________________

Decide the ____________________________________ of a source

Detect if there is any ___________________________

Identify is there is any __________________________

13. The mass media helps to set the public agenda by:

Focus _________________________________________ on certain issues

Be a _________________________ where opposing _____________________ can be _______________

Hold ________________________________________________________ to the public

Funding Political Campaigns

Running for political office in the United States is very expensive. Candidates must hold many fund-raising activities as the cost of presidential campaigns can exceed one billion dollars! This high cost of campaigning has limited who can run

for public office. Many Americans will not have the opportunity to run for public office because they can not afford the

high costs. This gives the advantage to wealthy individuals.

Rising campaign costs also give issue-oriented special interest groups more influence. An interest group is an organization of people who have a common interest. Interest groups include trade unions, business associations, and

consumer groups who work to influence government policies and decisions. Some interest groups are issue-oriented. This means that they focus on a specific issue or problem. Some examples of issue-oriented interest groups are the

National Organization for Women (NOW), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and

the American Cancer Society.

The development of political action committees or PACs has also been encouraged by rising campaign costs. Because federal law prohibits interest groups from contributing directly to political candidates, these groups contribute to

PACs who use the money to support candidates. In the 2008 presidential elections, millions of dollars were contributed

by PACs.

As campaign costs continue to rise, efforts have been made to reform campaign finance laws. These reforms have placed limits on corporation and individual contributions to political candidates and campaigns. It also requires that

candidates release the source of any contribution of $200.00 or more.

14. What are some of the negative results of coampaigns becoming so expensive?

15. Why do interest groups have more influence on elctions now?

16. What caused the development of political action committees (PACs)?

The Electoral College The United States is a representative democracy. This means that the people of the United States rule or govern themselves by electing representatives to carry out the responsibilities of the government. However, when the people

decide who will become the next president and vice-president, it is done through a special process called the Electoral College.

The Electoral College system works like this. Let’s say you are a registered voter in the state of Virginia. When you cast your ballot in a presidential election, your individual vote becomes a part of the popular vote. The popular vote does

not directly elect the president, however. Instead you are actually voting for a group of people called electors.

The slate or list of electors from each state is chosen by the political parties before a presidential election. The number

of electors from each state is based on a state’s Congressional representation. Virginia has thirteen electors because it has two Senators and eleven Representatives in Congress. (2 Senators + 11 Representatives = 13 electors)

After all of the popular votes are counted in a state, the candidate who receives the most popular votes “wins” the state

since most states have a winner-take-all system. This means that the electors who represent the party of the winning candidate meet to cast all of the state’s electoral votes for that candidate. In Virginia, this would mean that all 13 electoral votes would go to the candidate who won the popular vote in Virginia.

Every ten years the government takes a census to determine the population of each state. The population of a state

determines the number of representatives each state can have in Congress. It also determines the number of electoral votes it will have in the next presidential election.

Today there are 538 electors in the Electoral College. States with large populations like California and Texas also have large groups of electors and thus more electoral votes. A candidate needs a majority of the electoral votes from the

fifty states and the District of Columbia to win the presidency.

Because of this, and the winner-take-all system of the Electoral College, candidates tend to focus on large states for campaigning. In close elections, however, candidates do focus on smaller states whose electoral votes might make the

difference between winning and losing.

This requirement for a majority vote to win in the Electoral College favors a two-party system. Because there are

currently 538 electors, the votes of a majority of them – 270 – are required for a candidate to be elected president. It is easier for a candidate to win these 270 votes when fewer major candidates are running. Three major political parties and

three major candidates would split the number of electoral votes three ways and make the likelihood of accumulating 270

less likely.

Topic: Voting in Virginia

Date:

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Roles of Political Parties

Date:

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SIMILARITES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN POLITICAL PARTIES

Essential Question:

Republicans and Democrats are alike because each:

How are the two parties different? What are third parties?

Summary:

POLITICAL SPECTRUM SURVEY

Next to each statement, write the number that best describes how you feel about the statement. Answer as honestly as possible. Your answer will determine where you fall along a political spectrum.

5= completely agree 4= somewhat agree 3= agree or disagree, depending on the situation 2= somewhat disagree 1= completely disagree

__ 1. No strict laws protecting the environment.

__ 2. No regulation of (control) businesses.

__ 3. Government is responsible to provide social welfare programs (Medicare, National

School Lunch Program, Temporary Aid) to needy families.

__ 4. State governments should make laws for their citizens. (Ex. - speed limits, driver's

license age and drinking age.

__ 5. No gun control laws.

__ 6. Voluntary prayer should be allowed in school.

__ 7. Increase spending on defense and the military

__ 8. Mandatory (required) minimum sentences for particular crimes.

__ 9. Capital punishment (death penalty) should be legal.

__ 10. Build border fences to prevent people from entering the U.S. illegally.

__ 11. Use force to overthrow unfriendly governments, especially if our country's security is at risk.

__ 12. Offer tax breaks to companies to encourage companies to lay off fewer workers, even if it

means the government collects fewer taxes.

__ 13. The most important goal of America's foreign policy (dealing with other nations) is to promote

democracy and human rights in the world.

__ 14. Parents should decide which books children are assigned to read in school.

__ 15. Parents should have a choice to send their children to the public or private school of their

choice, and it would be paid for by the government.

__ 16. State government should be in charge of programs for the poor.

__ 17. Ballots for voting and tests for driver's license should be offered only in English.

__ 18. Illegal immigrants should be allowed to receive welfare benefits for their children.

__ 19. Limit to the amount juries can award in civil cases.

__ 20. People who make a lot of money should not have to pay more taxes than people who make

less money.

Total Score _____

Mark the spectrum on the next page according to your score.

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Every voter falls somewhere on... The Political Spectrum

Democrats

Center

Republicans

0 20 40 60 80 100 LIBERALS MODERATES CONSERVATIVES

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Topic: Campaigns and the Mass Media

Date:

Essential Question: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Main Ideas/

Connections to Notes: Notes:

Political Parties work hard to campaign and get their members

elected into office.

Where do the voters get information about the candidates and

issues in a campaign?________________________________

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The mass media can emphasize certain candidates, political

parties, issues or opinions to try to change your feelings about

them.

The public must evaluate (judge) campaign speeches, literature

and advertisement for accuracy (the truth).

What strategies can the public use to make good choices about

the campaign issues?

Summary :

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Topic: Public Policy

Date:

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Summary :

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Topic: Campaign Costs

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HOMEWORK Roles of Political Parties

Directions: Read each of the following statements and identify the role that the party is performing. Use the

letter beside the roles below to mark your answers.

A. Recruit and nominate candidates B. Educate the electorate about campaign issues C. Help candidates win elections D. Monitor the actions of officeholders

_____ 1. The Democratic Party holds its convention in Dallas, Texas.

_____ 2. At a news conference, the Democrats in the Senate say that the tax program

proposed by the Republicans will hurt the poor.

_____ 3. The Democratic candidate of governor meets with people throughout the

state to discuss plans for reducing pollution.

_____ 4. On Election Day, Maria and Jan call people and remind them to vote for the

Republican candidate.

_____ 5. Members of Congress send newsletters explaining the important events and

asking the people’s opinions on issues.

_____ 6. Republican party members work to register supporters to vote at the local

shopping center.

_____ 7. Archy Hughes was chosen to be the party’s candidate for president.

_____ 8. Miguel and Cindy volunteer to go to every house in the neighborhood to

hand out information about the party candidates.

_____ 9. Party members hold a fundraiser dinner.

_____ 10. The Democrats report the misuse of election funds by the Republicans to

Congress.

_____ 11. If a party loses an election, the party looks for mistakes or misuse of power by the opponent.

_____ 12. Political Parties help candidates communicate their ideas and views on

public issues to voters.

_____ 13. A group of party leaders get together and talk about what a good job a members is doing

_____ 14. The Democratic Party paid for a 30 second TV ad for President Obama's

2012 campaign.

_____ 15. The Republican Party nominated Mitt Romney to run for president in 2012.

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1. What is going on in the political cartoon?

(Who? What? When? Where? )

2. Identify any symbols and what they represent.

3. What is the artist’s message in the cartoon?

What do you think?

4. Explain what the cartoon tells us about special

interest money (PACs) in political campaigns>

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FUNCTIONS OF POLITICAL PARTIES (STANDARD CE.5a) Political parties play a key role in government and provide opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process.

Functions of political parties o Recruiting and nominating candidates o Educating the electorate about campaign issues o Helping candidates win elections o Monitoring actions of officeholders

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF POLITICAL PARTIES (STANDARD CE.5b) A two-party system characterizes the American political process.

Although third parties rarely win elections, they play an important role in public politics.

Similarities between parties o Organize to win elections o Influence public policies o Reflect both liberal and conservative views o Define themselves in a way that wins majority support by appealing to the political center

Differences between parties o Stated in a party's platform and reflected in campaigning

Third parties o Introduce new ideas or press for a particular issue o Often revolve around a political personality (e.g., Theodore Roosevelt)

CAMPAIGNS AND ROLE OF THE MEDIA. (STANDARD CE.5c) Voters evaluate information presented in political campaigns to make reasoned choices among candidates.

The media plays an important role in the political process.

Strategies for evaluating campaign speeches, literature, and advertisements for accuracy o Separating fact from opinion o Detecting bias o Evaluating sources o Identifying propaganda

Mass media roles in elections o Identifying candidates o Emphasizing selected issues o Writing editorials, creating political cartoons, publishing op-ed pieces o Broadcasting different points of view

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND COSTS (STANDARD CE.5d) Running for political office is expensive.

Rising campaign costs o Require candidates to conduct extensive fund-raising activities o Limit opportunities to run for public office o Give an advantage to wealthy individuals who run for office o Encourage the development of political action committees (PACs) o Give issue-oriented special interest groups increased influence Campaign finance reform o Rising campaign costs have led to efforts to reform campaign finance laws. o Limits exist on the amount individuals may contribute to political candidates and campaigns

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VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION (STANDARD CE.5e) Voting is a basic responsibility of citizenship. Voter registration is required before a citizen may vote.

The number of citizens who register and vote is related to how important election issues are to citizens.

Only citizens who register can participate in primary and general elections. Qualifications to register to vote in Virginia

o Citizen of the United States o Resident of Virginia and precinct o 18 years of age by day of general election

How to register in Virginia o In person at the registrar's office, at the Division of Motor Vehicles, or at other designated sites o By mail application

Registration is closed 29 days before elections.

Factors in predicting which citizens will vote o Education o Age o Income

Why citizens fail to vote o Lack of interest o Failure to register

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.

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