Political Parties Support Candidates
In the U.S., you’ll be most aware of political parties during an election
season. Candidates who are running for political office almost always
declare themselves a member of a political party. By doing this, a candidate
gains support from the political party and makes it easier for voters to figure
out what the candidate believes in and where they stand on the issues. At
the same time, political parties fight hard to get candidates from their party
elected. Party committees at the local, state, and national level work to
support their candidates by raising money, campaigning, educating voters,
and urging people to vote on election day.
Reading p.2
Name:
One Big Party?
Political Parties Work Inside Government
Candidates who are elected to office work to pass laws and solve problems. While
each government official has his or her own views, the laws and solutions they
support usually align with their political party’s platform. In the U.S. Congress and
in state legislatures, the balance of power between Republicans and Democrats
can determine which laws get passed. The majority party—the one with the
most elected members—can most easily influence laws by getting all its members
to vote the same way on a bill. This isn’t always easy, because members of one
political party don’t necessarily agree on all the issues. But in American politics, it’s
common for most lawmakers from one party to vote the same way. Meanwhile,
the minority party works to promote the views of its supporters by forcing
compromise with the majority party. If the minority party is successful, this can
create laws that are balanced between the two parties’ viewpoints.
Political Parties and You
You’ve probably already seen political parties in action. During elections, political
parties work to influence voters by distributing information about candidates and
issues. Next time you see a campaign ad on television, look closely at the fine print
at the bottom and you might see that a political party has funded the ad. But
beware: All the information a political party distributes is
biased
toward its own
views. That means information from political parties should not be your only source
of information about candidates and issues.
When you register or preregister to vote, the application will probably let you check
a box to join a political party. Joining a political party isn’t a requirement, and even
if you check a box you can still vote for anyone you want. During a presidential
election, in many states party membership lets you participate in that state’s
primary election or caucus to help decide who your party’s presidential candidate
will be. Some states let you participate even if you don’t belong to a party.
Majority
Minority
In the executive branch, the president and state governors almost always belong
to a political party. Like lawmakers, their views usually align with their political
party’s platform. A president or governor works for the people, not a party, but he
or she may be very committed to advancing the party’s goals. He or she does not
make laws, but is key in developing public policy—the stand the government
takes about how issues should be handled. A president or governor’s policies are
usually in line with their political party’s platform. A president or governor who
belongs to the same party as the minority in the legislature may also disagree with
many laws passed by the majority and may veto those laws.
Democratic?
Republican?
Independent?
Libertarian?
Green?
Constitution?
Other?