When you sign up to vote, you choose whether you want to join a political party. A political party is a group of people who share the same views about how the government should be run and what it should do. There are 8 political parties in California. We asked each party what they stand for and what their priorities are.
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Party |
What They Stand For |
Top Priorities |
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American Independent
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The American Independent Party stands for traditional moral values and the God-given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
This party believes government should uphold the United States Constitution, including protection of life and property and a strong national defense.
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End Federal income tax
Do away with the Federal Reserve which increases the national debt
Bring back parent and local control of children's education
This party has about 277,000* members in California. For information, visit http://www.wordpr.com/aip or call 530-345-4224.
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Democrat
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The Democratic Party stands for improving education, lowering taxes for working families, affordable health care, reducing crime, preserving the environment and protecting a woman's right to choose.
This party believes the role of government should be to protect citizens' rights, provide education for all citizens, maintain order and provide economic stability.
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Education
Education
Education
This party has about 6.8 million* members in California. For information, visit http://www.ca-dem.org or call 916-442-5707.
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Green
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The Green Party stands for 10 key values: Grassroots democracy; Social justice; Non-violence; Making government more local; Community-based economics; Feminism; Respect for diversity; Personal and Global responsibility; Sustainability; Ecological wisdom.
This party believes government should be made responsible through individual participation at the community level through a multi-party, proportional representation system.
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End the death penalty.
Support a living wage and the rights of all workers to organize.
Replace winner-take-all election systems with "proportional representation."
The Green Party has about 91,000* members in California. For information, visit http://www.greens.org/california/ or call 916-448-3437
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Libertarian
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The Libertarian Party stands for smaller government. We supported Prop 209 (to end racial preferences) and Prop 215 (to make medical marijuana legal). Libertarians think governments usually make the wrong decisions.
This party believes governments should only protect the rights of the individual from violence, the threat of violence, fraud and nothing else.
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Keep the Libertarian Party on the California ballot
Continue to elect more Libertarians to public office
Increase our membership
This party has about 81,000* members in California. For information, visit http://www.ca.lp.org/ or call 1-800-682-1776.
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Natural Law
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The Natural Law party stands for government that prevents problems before they start, politics free from conflict, and proven solutions to bring individuals and the nation in line with natural law.
This party believes government should be in tune with natural law, so it can work with nature's efficiency, and citizens can be truly self-governing.
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Natural preventive health care programs to promote health and cut costs
Proven education programs to develop students' inner genius
Agricultural practices that protect the environment
This party has about 70,000* members in California. For information, visit http://www.natural-law.org or call 408-425-2201.
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Peace and Freedom
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The Peace and Freedom Party has a vision that someday people will make decisions that affect their own lives and will democratically decide with others on matters of collective concern.
This party believes that government has a responsibility to provide for the general welfare so that everyone has jobs, housing, education, health care and equal rights.
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Jobs: double the minimum wage
Cut military spending; shift taxes to the rich to pay for human needs
Democratic elections through proportional representation
This party has about 67,000* members in California. For information, visit http://www.come.to/peaceandfreedom or call 213-PFP-1998.
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Reform
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The Reform Party stands for the economic growth and political reforms necessary to restore the American dream for all Americans.
This party believes the role of government should be to respond to the will of the people and to protect their interests.
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Expand the California economy
Establish fair trade and create more jobs for Californians
Give new life to public education by promoting state and local controls
This party has about 92,000* members in California. For information, visit http://california.reformparty.org or call 1-888-82-REFORM.
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Republican
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The Republican Party stands for American values: free enterprise, justice and a growing economy. We work to assure that all Californians have the opportunity to realize the American dream.
This party believes the role of government is to do only what the private sector cannot do better. Government should provide high quality education and protection without high taxes.
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Better schools governed by parents and teachers
Safer neighborhoods, victims' rights and tougher laws
Lower taxes and better use of your tax dollars
This party has about 5.2 million* members in California. For information, visit http://www.cagop.org or call 818-841-5210.
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*The number of members in each party was provided by the California Secretary of State's office (7/30/98), rounded to the nearest thousand.
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