ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the murky world of California political parties. It explains how parties are organized as well as the relationship between candidates and officeholders. The chapter examines the power of money and the state's finance laws as they apply to political party campaign efforts. Over the course of the state's history, California has been witness to the activities of "minor" political parties, organizations with candidates who seek office but usually remain uncompetitive at the voting booth. Nonpartisan local elections are a product of the Progressives, who wanted to eliminate politics from governance as part of their reform movement. Democrats have supported legalization of gay marriage, driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, strong environmental protection rules, and physician-assisted right-to-die legislation. The "Top Two" nominating system is neither likely to change the legislative divisiveness nor substantially change the make-up of the legislature itself.
