Remember that one of the main functions of political parties is choosing candidates for election. There are several methods for this, including

• direct primary - a preliminary election to choose who will run for the office on behalf of a political party

• caucus - a meeting where members of a political party get together and choose who will run for the office

• nominating convention - large meeting to choose who will run for office

• petition - a person who wants to run for office collects signatures to have their name placed on the ballot

The Democrats and Republicans use a nominating convention every 4 years to choose who will run for president and vice president.

Virginia elections

State and local political party organizations choose which method they will use to select candidates to run for office.

17-year-olds can register to participate in these selection processes in Virginia if they will be 18 in time for the next general election (November).

Election campaigns are expensive!

Purchasing even small amounts of advertising on local TV and/or radio costs a lot of money. One of the main ways political parties (and candidates themselves) raise money is through individual campaign contributions.

Giving money to a political campaign is considered to be part of your right to symbolic speech protected by the First Amendment- your money means you support the individual or issue being represented. However, there are limits on the amounts that can be given.

The Federal Election Campaign Act is a law that places controls on campaign financing. It operates on 3 basic principles:

• presidential elections are paid for in part by public means - this is done on tax returns where people CHOOSE to donate

• there are limits on the amounts people can receive who run for president and Congress

• all campaign contributions must be recorded and disclosed to the public

The Federal Election Campaign Act also legalized the formation of political action committees (PACs). These organizations exist to raise money to pay for campaigns.

In state and local elections, campaign contributions are unlimited but all must be reported publicly.

A lot of modern-day fundraising is conducted online.