2002 FRQ #3By John Tummino

Federalism- The relationship between state and federal governments

Obstacles: states can prevent minority group members from voting, the two-tier court system (state courts hostile, regional bias), state control over voter registration and elections, and state control over legislation (Jim Crow)

Opportunities: appeal to the federal government (judicial review), civil liberties (incorporation doctrine), geographic concentration allows for greater influence

Political Party System- allows for similar minded individuals to

express their ideas and gain office Obstacles: taking minority votes for granted, closed

membership (white primaries), less opportunities for minority viewpoints to be represented, lack of candidates on the ballot, third party bias (anti-third-party), and lack of party discipline in enforcing adherence to minority-favoring policies

Opportunities: become a major part of a party's makeup, proportional representation of delegates to the Democratic Party convention (divides the delegates between two candidates who are close to one another in the voting), recruitment of minorities as party workers, ideological slant of primary voters, open membership

Electoral System- the system by which people are elected to public office

Obstacles: winner-take-all, at-large (the whole) vs. single-member (predetermined constituency; two party politics) districts, racial gerrymandering, runoff elections (like brackets)

Opportunities: voting blocs (margin of difference), greater number of seats, voting system