Political Parties and the Electoral Process

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Functions of political parties

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Recruiting and nominating candidates; educating the electorate; help candidates win elections; monitor public office holders

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The American political process is characterized as a

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Two party system

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Similarities of major political parties

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Both influence public policies; reflect liberal and conservative views; win majority support by appealing to the center.

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Differences of major political parties

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Express different views as in the party platform and candidates' speeches

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Differences of third parties from the two major parties

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Introduce new ideas; often revolve around a political personality

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How citizens make informed choices among candidates in elections

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Voters must evaluate information presented in a political campaign, looking for bias and accuracy

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Strategies for evaluating campaign speeches, literature, and advertisements

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Separate fact from fiction; look for bias; evaluate sources; identify propaganda

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Definition of media

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Newspapers, TV, the Internet

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Role of the media in the political process

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Familiarizes the public with the candidates; emphasizes certain issues; expresses opinion; broadcasts different points-of-view

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Who has the advantage in elections due to high cost

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Wealthy candidates