Political Parties
There are six qualified political parties:
- American Independent Party
- Democratic Party (see also California Democratic Party)
- Green Party (see also Green Party of California)
- Libertarian Party (see also Libertarian Party of California)
- Peace and Freedom Party
- Republican Party (see also California Republican Party)
Due to the first-past-the-post electoral system used in California, only the Democratic Party and Republican Party currently have representation in the State Legislature. However, Audie Bock, a member of the Green Party, was elected in 1999 during what is known as special election musical chairs.
Local elections in California at the county and city level are officially non-partisan and political party affiliations are not included on local election ballots.
Read more about this topic: California Elections
Famous quotes containing the words political parties, political and/or parties:
“Politics is, as it were, the gizzard of society, full of grit and gravel, and the two political parties are its two opposite halves,—sometimes split into quarters, it may be, which grind on each other.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The rank and file have let their servants become their masters and dictators.... Provision should be made in all union constitutions for the recall of leaders. Big salaries should not be paid. Career hunters should be driven out, as well as leaders who use labor for political ends. These types are menaces to the advancement of labor.”
—Mother Jones (1830–1930)
“Remorse—is Memory—awake—
Her Parties all astir—”
—Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)