Roles of Political Parties and Interest Groups in US Elections

America is a country that has two main political parties: Democrats and Republicans. There are other third parties, but their input in US elections is very minimal. It, therefore, means that when one is talking about political parties in the US, the Republicans, and the Democrats come to mind. Looking at the US voting history, there has been a considerable decrease in the number of voters. The voter turnout has been falling steadily over the years, and there is a reason to research on the cause of this steady fall. Some say that most Americans are becoming less concerned about politics but are more concerned about their private lives. The worst hit elections are the midterm elections whose voter turnout is very small. Though the presidential elections register a lower voter turnout of between 50-60%, the case is simply pathetic for the midterm elections.

The midterm elections register a voter turnout of about thirty percent (Ginsberg, Lowi, Weir, Tolbert, and Spitzer 2012:267). Midterm elections in the US are used to elect members of the congress and the senate. The office holders for various municipalities are also elected during midterm elections. It should be noted that midterm elections are held two years after the presidential elections. They come almost in the middle of the presidential term. One of the reasons postulated for the low voter turnout is that most Americans have a feeling that the presidency is much more important than these other political seats. It is the president who determines to a larger extent the fate of the millions of Americans. That is why they come out in large numbers to vote for their national leader. Another reason for the disparities in the numbers of voters is as a result of the displeasure that the Americans show towards the current government. In most instances, the Americans, after voting, will seek to find out whether most of the promises given by the president are fulfilled or not. As most will not be met by the time of the midterm elections, most Americans do not see the need for taking part in the midterm elections.

Other factors like socioeconomic also play a crucial role in voting. People come out to vote or refuse to vote depending on some of these factors. Interest groups will also play an important role in mobilizing people to vote for candidates who are aligned with a particular issue. The interest groups will, therefore, play a part in enlightening the masses on why they should take part in the voting process and vote for a given candidate. In view of the above, it is, therefore, necessary to evaluate the roles played by the political parties and interest groups in mobilizing electoral participation in the present day American society. It is also good to have a look at some of the factors that influence voting in America.

            The political parties and interest groups play a significant role in the US politics. The primary role of political parties is to nominate candidates for the various electoral seats. The political parties have their constitution and the fundamental requirements that a candidate must meet to be selected for any given seat. The political parties ensure that they pick the best candidates to run for the various positions. By the best candidates, we mean that those who the political parties feel stand a better chance of being chosen (Ginsberg, et al. 2012:280). After the nomination of the candidates, the political parties play a prominent role in campaigning for these candidates. It is good for the political parties to have their nominated people elected, thus, the policies of the given political party will be propagated. The third role of the political parties is to come up with manifestoes that they sell to the voters. The manifestoes for example policies that will be pursued by the political parties once they are in power. The political parties must ensure that they convince the voters to vote for them into power so that they implement their policies. Political parties also form linkages to the people as they act as oversight for the government.

The political party in the opposition becomes a watchdog of all the activities that the government does to ensure that everything is done in the required manner. In some instances, people may not know much about a given candidate. The political parties, therefore, come up to play a big role in making the voters vote for a candidate because he belongs to a given party. In such an instance, we say that the electorate voted for the party and not the candidate (Ginsberg, et al. 2012:281). Another critical role played by the political parties is that of educating the masses on the various issues that affect them. They, therefore, help in shaping the public opinion over a given issue. In shaping the public opinion, they may dictate the way things have to be done in a specific country. In America, the political parties play all these roles, and they anticipate that in the near future, the number of people who turn out to vote can increase.

            Other paramount stakeholders in the American politics are the interest groups. The interest groups are groups of people who share common concerns about a given issue. They either support the given point or oppose it strongly. They may use their financial muscle to influence other people to support their stand on a particular issue (Ginsberg, et al. 2012:284). The interest groups are also known as lobbies. The interest groups use their networks to bring sensitization to the Americans on an issue that is likely to affect them. They also seek to influence the policy makers over the course of some issues that they feel affect the ordinary citizen of the US. There are several lobby groups in America, but the most outstanding one and the one with the highest membership is the American Association of Retired Persons. The American Association of Retired Persons has a membership of about thirty-five million people (Ginsberg, et al. 2012:290). There are various methods that interest groups use to ensure that their views and stand on a given issue is heard. One of the methods is by giving their testimony at legislative hearings. In so doing, they are sure that the legislatures get their opinions on a particular issue and that their views can be considered when policies are being developed. Another method that they use to ensure that they are heard is by having a candid talk with the government officials. They know that when they talk to the implementing officers of the government policies, their views are likely to be passed to the policy makers. The interest groups also play a role of endorsing candidates for various seats. They feel that if certain candidates are elected into office, then their views and grievances can be addressed.

            The interest groups play a very significant role in the lives of the American voter, and they also influence the voting. The above-listed methods are just a few of the avenues that interest groups can use to have their views heard and in so doing, influence the policy makers and the voters (Ginsberg, et al. 2012:302). We can, therefore, say that the interest groups play a huge role in the electioneering process of the United States.

            As in any country, there are some factors that influence the voting likelihood of the Americans. Some of these factors include socioeconomic factors, electoral laws, and rules. These play a significant role in making a voter decide whom to vote for. Socioeconomic factors encompass a broad range of issues. Some of these issues are wealth, education, occupation age, and gender among others. In America, people who are educated are most likely to take part in an electoral process than those with little or no education. The educated people know the importance of voting, and they are less likely to miss out on this crucial exercise. They know that with their vote, they can vote in a government that has sound policies that are of benefit to the average American. One of the reasons that make the educated to vote is that they are likely to read more about political happenings in the country and they also follow these happenings (Ginsberg, et al. 2012:352). They are keen on what the politicians do, and it is through their education that they are in a position of making a sound judgment about issues that are being articulated by the politicians. The educated can use several forums to follow what the politicians are doing and thereby come up with a decision that will help them in deciding. Those who possess a lot of wealth also take part in the voting exercise as compared to those who have little or no wealth at all. Those who are wealthy vote for a person whose policies may work towards safe custody of their money and even addition of their wealth (Ginsberg, et al. 2012:367). They feel that as the politics of the day may tilt their wealth in any direction, they ensure that they vote for someone whose policies cannot temper with their wealth. It should also be noted that the wealthy will vote irrespective of their educational background. The driving force for their voting is the wealth that they possess.

A person’s occupation also influences his voting. People who are high up in managerial positions are most likely to vote than those in lower cadres of employment. The managers are usually following the political happenings in the country keenly, and they know that political policies may jeopardize their well-being. Those people in lower levels of may not be keen when it comes to voting (Ginsberg, et al. 2012:387). Those who are self-employed in artisanship may not vote as compared to those in managerial positions. Another factor that is likely to play a huge role in voting is the denomination. Members of the evangelical churches are likely to take part in voting when a candidate from their church is among the contestants. The reason here is that the members of the evangelical churches will want one of their own to be at the helm of political leadership as they feel that in so doing, the members of their churches will take care of their interests.

Gender also forms another basis for voting. Women in America are likely to participate in voting just like men. However, we find that the selected number of women is minuscule as compared to that of men. The women feel secure when they are voting for a man as compared to when they are voting for a woman. Electoral laws and rules also play a significant role in voting. The US constitution does not allow inmates to vote. Consequently, it means that those people who are in prison may not take part in the electoral process. The party affiliation of the inmates does not matter as long as they are behind bars.

            We can, therefore, see that many factors come into play when it comes to the electoral process in America. The political parties have an enormous role to play in politicking as well as the interest groups. Other factors for example the socioeconomic and electoral laws also play a significant role in the voting process.

Works Cited

Ginsberg, Benjamin, Lowi, Theodore J., Weir, Margret. We  The people: An IntroductionTo American Politics, Ninth Edition. 2012