Political Parties, Voting, and the Media

Political Parties, Voting, and the Media

Benchmarks

• SS.7.C.2.7: Conduct a mock election to demonstrate the voting process and its impact on a school, community, or local level.

• SS.7.C.2.8: Identify America’s current political parties, and illustrate their ideas about government.

• SS.7.C.2.9: Evaluate candidates for political office by analyzing their qualifications, experience, issue-based platforms, debates, and political ads.

• SS.7.C.2.10: Examine the impact of media, individuals, and interest groups on monitoring and influencing government.

• SS.7.C.2.11: Analyze media and political communications (bias, symbolism, propaganda)

Voting Process

• All voters must register at least 1 month before voting.

• To do so, they must be a US citizen, and at least 18 years old.

Voting Process

• Candidates usually announce their candidacy more than a year before the general election

• They must meet all qualifications

Primary Election

• 3 types of Primaries

• Open Primary, Closed Primary & Caucus

Caucus

• Meeting of political parties that gather in support of a candidate.

• The more people in support of a candidate means that they might win that district.

• Iowa, political parties have a caucus to choose presidential nominees for their parties.

Open Primary

• Citizens come in to polling location

• select a ballot of any party.

• Vote then turn in ballot

• Winner of majority of votes wins nomination or a percentage of the votes.

Closed Primary

• Where only registered members of a given political party can vote

• Florida is a Closed Primary

Multiple Choice

Voters may vote in a party's primary only if they are registered members of that party

• Caucus
• Primary
• Closed Primary
• Open Primary

Multiple Choice

A registered voter may vote in any party primary regardless of his or her own party affiliation

• Caucus
• Primary
• Closed Primary
• Open Primary

Multiple Choice

What method of picking a candidate is most often associated with the state of Iowa?

• The primary

• The caucus

• The petition

• The self-announcement

Multiple Choice

Registered party members may vote using their own party’s ballot. Unaffiliated voters are not allowed to cast a ballot.

• Open primary

• Open caucus

• Closed primary

• Semi-open primary

Multiple Choice

Once in the voting booth, any registered voter can mark their choices in one party’s section on a multiparty ballot.

• Open primary

• Open caucus

• Closed primary

• Semi-open primary

Multiple Choice

Once in the voting booth, any registered voter can mark their choices in one party’s section on a multiparty ballot.

• Open primary

• Open caucus

• Closed primary

• Semi-open primary

Candidate is chosen

• each political party celebrates a national convention to nominate the official candidate for President

• adopt a party platform

• detailed statement of the party’s standing on important issues and how they will deal with them if their candidate wins

• The President selects and announces who will run with him as his Vice President

General Election

• election of candidates from different parties to political office

• On Election Day, voters arrive at their voting place, and “check in” by providing their names, and in some states a photo ID.

Electoral College

• Need 270 out of 538 electoral votes to win the Presidency.

• Winner-Take- All in each state.

• Popular Vote? Pass!

Multiple Choice

To be elected president, a candidate must win

• the electoral vote

• the popular vote

• the special election

• the party's nomination

Multiple Choice

Based on the government system in the United States , which individual activity is used to directly influence legislative decisions?

• watching political debates on television

• discussing political issues at work

• collecting opinions for a yearbook

• gathering signatures for a petition

Multiple Choice

According to the Twenty-sixth amendment, who can vote?

• high school students

• women

• people of any race

• 18 year olds

Multiple Choice

What is a party platform?

• a place where party members meet

• a statement of party beliefs and positions

• a method a party uses to contact followers

• a list of party candidates

Multiple Choice

What is a party platform?

• a place where party members meet

• a statement of party beliefs and positions

• a method a party uses to contact followers

• a list of party candidates

Current Political Parties in America

Democratic Party

• Liberals

• more government interference

• higher taxes

• more funding for education, health care

• more immigration

• opposes death penalty

Republican Party

• conservatives

• less government inter

• favors less taxes

• less immigration

• more military spending

• supports death penalty

Third Parties

• Libertarian Party: favors little to no government interference

• Communist Party: opposes private ownership of property

• Socialist Party: favors sharing of all economic resources

• Green Party: favors protecting the environment

• 
  

Multiple Choice

The ________________ Party wants to share wealth with workers.

• Communists
• Federalists
• Socialists
• Green

Multiple Choice

The _______________ Party wants more government control on welfare, such as free healthcare.

• Communists
• Federalists
• Socialists
• Green

Multiple Choice

One Republican Party core belief is _____________________. 

• more taxes
• increase taxes
• less taxes
• no taxes

Multiple Choice

Since 1860s the ____________________ and ____________________party have dominated American politics. 

• Green,  Libertarian 
• Communists, Socialists
• Anarchist, Theocracy 
• Democratic, Republican

Multiple Choice

A political party is a group of _______________________________________________.

• who share the similar beliefs about government.
• who share the similar beliefs about the president.
• who share the similar beliefs about congress.
• who share the similar beliefs about the judicial branch

Multiple Choice

Which political party is considered LIBERAL?

• The Republicans

• The Communists

• The Democrats

• The Libertarians

Multiple Choice

Which political party is considered CONSERVATIVE?

• The Republicans

• The Communists

• The Democrats

• The Libertarians

Multiple Choice

Which political party introduced major social programs like Social Security & Medicare in the middle 1900s. Many in this party have fought for civil rights and advocates an inclusive, equitable government.

• The Republicans

• The Communists

• The Democrats

• The Libertarians

Multiple Choice

Which political party was founded in the middle 1800s and whose first major president was Abraham Lincoln? This party opposed slavery, fought to keep the country together, and advocates for a small, efficient government.

• The Republicans

• The Communists

• The Democrats

• The Libertarians

Multiple Select

IMPORTANT: Which are the main two political parties in the United States of America?

• Libertarian Party

• Green Party

• Republican Party

• Democratic Party

Multiple Choice

What a political party or political candidates believe in and STAND for is called their

• platform.

• performance.

• politics.

• perjury.

Multiple Choice

Which political party does Donald Trump represent?

• Republican Party

• Green Party

• Democratic Party

• Libertarian Party

Multiple Choice

Which political party does Donald Trump represent?

• Republican Party

• Green Party

• Democratic Party

• Libertarian Party

Requirements for Political Office at the Federal Level

• President:

  o at least 35 years old

  o natural-born citizen

  o resident of US for 14 years

• Senator:

  o at least 30 years old

  o natural-born or naturalized citizen for at least 9 years

  o resident of represented state

• House of Representatives:

  o at least 25 years old

  o natural-born or naturalized citizen for at least 7 years

  o resident of represented state

Supreme Court Justices

• Appointed by President

• Confirmed by Senate

Evaluating Candidates

• Voters look at a few things before voting:

  o Qualifications: where they grew up, education, past achievements

  o Experience: if any in government or in leadership positions in past jobs

  o Platform: their stance on the important issues facing America

  o Debates: shows what the candidate is really like, how they act/behave

Multiple Choice

Which term means "having two houses"?

• Bicameral
• Bipartiasan
• Two-party
• Two-housal

Multiple Choice

How many members are in the Senate?

• 100

• 250

• 435

• 535

Multiple Choice

How many members are in the House of Representatives?

• 100
• 250
• 435
• 535

Multiple Choice

How old must you be to become a senator? 

• 30 
• 25
• 35

Multiple Choice

If a government official is being impeached, who's sole power is it to carry out the impeachment? 

• The Legislative Branch 
• The House of Representatives 
• The Senate

Multiple Choice

Who takes over if the President cannot perform his job?

• vice president

• speaker of the house

• president pro tempore

• secretary of state

Multiple Choice

The qualifications to become President are

• citizen for 10 years, Protestant, at least 35 years old

• native born citizen, 35 years old, US resident for 14 years

Multiple Choice

The purpose of the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution is to

• impose a 2-term limit on the President

• set a Presidential term to 4 years

Multiple Choice

What is a requirement of anyone who runs for the office of the President of the United States?

• He or she is at least 30 years old.

• He or she is a native-born citizen.

• He or she has a college degree.

• He or she is a member of a major political party.

Multiple Choice

What is a requirement of anyone who runs for the office of the President of the United States?

• He or she is at least 30 years old.

• He or she is a native-born citizen.

• He or she has a college degree.

• He or she is a member of a major political party.