State and Political Processes

Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words: 

This week, we explore politics and party affiliation. The Constitution and Bill of Rights do not expressly deal with parties or the number of parties we can have to represent us. Instead, this was left to the public to form their own affiliations. And, this is something that we are exposed to every day as we watch the news and see the interactions of the political parties in our country.

• With this in mind, what parties are most influential in your state? 
• Consider what motivates the voters in your state. Are they more likely to vote in a Presidential election year as opposed to a congressional election year? (If you are unsure, you can look up the statistics for your state)
• What seems to influence this trend in your state?
• Why do you think this might be?