I. National Organization
A. each party holds a national convention
every 4 years to nominate its candidate for President and VP
B. the party platform is also written.
1. platform = outline of
entire goals, beliefs, and principles of a party
2. plank = each goal or
belief in the platform
C. the Chairperson and National Committee are also
chosen
1. they coordinate party
activities for the next 4 years (work to raise $ for candidates)
II. State Organization
A. each party has a state chairperson, committee,
and local organizations
III. Local Party Machinery: The Grassroots
A. local activities are coordinated by district
(in our state, county) leaders and precinct captains (precinct = a small
geograpical area of voters)
B. parties used patronage to gather votes
and party workers
1. patronage = giving followers
jobs or other rewards (legally or illegally)
2. political machine = group
of local politicians that seek to control politics through the use of patronage
(mostly in cities)
a. political machines died out around the turn of the 20th Century due
to electoral reforms. Machines lost control over many of the services
they
had used for patronage.