1. Political PartiesOrganization

2. Membership and Organization • Parties during election time are maintained by a small _________ and a mostly volunteer “army” • Both Democrats and Republicans have a party in each _____ and maintain thousands of local parties to assist them • Membership- • Membership is voluntary • Level of participation is voluntary • You choose to belong to a particular party because you believe or support the majority of ideas and candidates

3. Local Party Organization • Precinct- • Each precinct has a volunteer ___________who organizes party workers • Distribute information • Organize • Several precincts together form a ______ • Each ward has a party chairperson that can be a very powerful individual and reports to the state or national level

4. State Party Organization • State Central Committee- • Chooses the party _____________ • Committee chooses this person on recommendation of the candidate • Function of state chairperson and committee is to get the candidate elected • Organize • Raise money • events

5. National Party Organization • National Convention • . • National Committee • Meet between conventions • Composed of the _______ party organizations • . • Party national chairperson is elected by the …… • Raises money • Touts achievements • Promotes national-state-local party cooperation • Each Party also has congressional committees that assist congressman and senators in their elections

6. Nominating Candidates • How are candidates selected • Although election laws vary from state to state each acceptable candidate that makes the ballot makes it thorough one of these four ways • Caucus • Nominating conventions • Primary elections • Petition

7. Nominating Candidates • Caucuses • . • Was criticized for being undemocratic because the people do not have a say in who gets selected • _______ use caucuses today • Party rules require openness in the selection process • Starts at the local level • Nominating Conventions • An ______________ of a party to choose candidates for office • Local party organizations send rep’s to a county nominating convention that selects candidates for county offices and chooses delegates who will go to a state nominating convention • The state convention in turn selects _______ for statewide office and chooses delegates who will go to the national convention • Party bosses __________ this system and which came under public attack

8. Nominating Candidates • Primary Elections • Moat commonly used today is the direct primary • Party members select people to run in the general election • Closed primaries- • Open primaries- • Primaries run according to state specific _______ • Majority of votes not needed just a _________or more votes than the other candidate • If no one receives a majority a ___________ is held • Election between the two candidates that received the most votes • Petition • ….. • Party backed candidate has advantage as no petition is required

9. Presidential Nominations • Occur every four years • Conventions convene from all 50 states and territories to select a ticket or candidates for president and vice president • Has _________coverage • First convention was held in 1831 (with support from criticisms of ___________ –lost the election) by the anti-masons in repudiation of caucus bosses and their secret meetings • Major parties copied the practice which has held until today • Presidential primaries are held in _____states today

10. The National Convention • Pre-convention Planning • . • Assembling the Convention • Delegates assemble • Media assembles • Protesters assemble • Speeches are made • Committees are set • Candidate is picked • Committees • Rules— • Credentials— • Permanent Organization–

11. The National Convention • Platform Committee— • Nominating Candidates— • Speeches are made • Role is called • Votes take place and counted • Winner is declared

12. Vice Presidential Nomination • Vice Presidential Nomination • Occurs on the _______ of the convention • President nominates his/her running mate • Needs to be voted and ok’d by the convention delegates • Running mates are picked to _______ the ticket • Adjournment • Acceptant speeches are made • Bring the party ___________ • Sound upcoming __________ • Attack the ___________ • Appeal to their _______voters