Marlen Vasquez

Name ____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________

The Political Process
Section 3

MAIN IDEA
Political parties are formal organizations that work to elect candidates to public
office. Our political system is dominated by two major parties, but other parties
are actively involved in the system.

Key Terms
political party an organization that tries to elect its members to public office so that its
views can become public policy
political spectrum the continuum of general political beliefs
nomination process naming candidates for elective office
electorate the body of people entitled to vote
one-party system a party system in which a single political party controls government
two-party system a party system in which two major parties compete to control
government
multiparty system a party system in which several parties compete for control
third party any political party in a two-party system besides the two major ones
independent candidate a candidate who is not associated with any party
precinct the smallest unit for administering elections and local voting
ward a voting district made up of several precincts

Taking Notes
As you read, take notes on how political parties serve the public good.
Record your notes in the graphic organizer below.

There are three types of party systems:

Two parties filter out extreme or
one-party, two-party, and multiparty
unconventional ideas,

Political parties have three roles they make it easy for voters to know

within the political system. exactly what their candidate is

planning to do.

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Section 3 continued

Section Summary
THE ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES
A political party is an organization that tries to elect
its members to public office in order to make its views
public policy. Party members share similar ideas and
views about society and government and unite these
ideas in a political program called an ideology. What
the ideology includes determines a party’s place on
the political spectrum, or the continuum of general
political beliefs. For example, in the United States, the
Democratic Party falls on the liberal end of the
spectrum and the Republican Party on the
conservative end.
Political parties have three roles within the political How are political parties
system. First, parties shape the nomination process, involved in the political
or the naming of candidates for public office, by process after one of their
candidates has been
identifying, and supporting candidates who share their
elected?
views. Second, parties assist the electoral process by
educating and motivating the electorate—the body of _______________________
A minor party is a political
people entitled to vote—about issues and the voting _______________________
party that plays a smaller role
process itself, making candidates more accessible by _______________________
giving them a “brand name,” and monitoring the than a major party in a
_______________________
actions of party and non-party policymakers. Finally, country's politics and
parties help determine the organization of
government. The president typically nominates people elections. .
who share his or her party’s basic views, and
Congress is controlled by the party that has the most
members in each house.

THE AMERICAN TWO-PARTY SYSTEM

There are three types of party systems: one-party, two- How is the competition
party, and multiparty. In a one-party system, a single within a multiparty system
party controls government; if other parties are different than that in a two-
party system?
permitted to operate, they typically have little power.
Likewise, in a two-party system, as in the United Unlike a one-party system
_______________________
States, additional parties do exist but have limited _______________________
a multi-party system
influence on the electoral process. In a multiparty
_______________________
system, several parties compete for control, encourages the general
sometimes forming coalitions to create a majority. _______________________
constituency to form
The United States’ two-party system dates back to
the first American political parties, the Federalists and multiple distinct, officially
the Democratic-Republicans. While these parties
recognized groups,
ceased to exist during the early 1800s, the parties that
formed from the remains of the Democratic- generally called political
parties.
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Section 3 continued

Republican Party continue to be the most powerful in

the country: the Democrats and Republicans. While
third parties—any political party in a two-party
system besides the two major ones—and independent
candidates—those not affiliated with a party—can
affect elections, the Democratic and Republican
parties continue to wield the most influence within the
electoral process.

PARTY ORGANIZATION
Political parties are organized at the local, state, and Does support for local
national levels. At the local level, county parties candidates end at the
identify and support local candidates, as well as county level? Explain.
organize support for candidates at higher levels. A local party organization is
_______________________
County parties are run by county committees, the
an organization that is
_______________________
members of which are elected by party members in
county precincts—the smallest units for _______________________
responsible for a political
administering elections and local voting. Voting
party's activities below the
districts made up of several precincts are called
wards. state level such as city,
At the state level, state committees composed of
county or district level
members of county committees work on supporting
party candidates at the local, state, and national levels.
A state chairperson leads these efforts.
At the national level, a committee made up of a
national chairperson and members of state parties
organizes major outreach and fundraising efforts for
candidates at all levels. The national committee also
creates and supports specific, affiliated organizations,
such as the College Democrats of America or the
National Teenage Republicans.

POLITICAL PARTIES AND THE PUBLIC GOOD

Parties can benefit the political process by filtering out Explain three benefits of
extreme ideas, building inclusive support for issues, political parties.
filtering out extreme ideas,
providing political and social stability, discouraging _______________________
short-term shifts in power, and giving voters a “brand- building inclusive support for
_______________________
name” idea of who is running. However, by reaching
issues, providing political and
out to so many segments of the population at once, _______________________
parties can sometimes lack unity, discipline, and social stability, discouraging
loyalty. Additionally, the monetary support that
short-term shifts in power,
parties receive from interest groups often prompts
critics to question whether elected officials are always
acting in the public interest.

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