The Role of Political Parties

The functions of political parties are to:

- Bring people together to achieve control of the government

- Develop policies favorable to their interests or the groups that support them

- Organize and persuade voters to elect their candidates to office. 

Although very much involved in the operation of government at all levels, political parties are not the government itself, and the Constitution makes no mention of them. 

National Party Convention

WHEN DO THEY NOMINATE THEIR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?
 Political parties nominate their candidates every August of presidential election years at National Party Conventions, which is a meeting of "delegates" from each state.   

Conventions can be characterized by having big parties with lots of balloons and confetti, usually can be view on television with speeches from candidates.

Delegates are selected by: 

- Presidential Primary are state-sponsored elections that select delegates to national nominating conventions. It can be open to any voter ("open") or only to voters registered in a party ("closed"). Keep in mind that voters who choose to register within a party and vote in a primary election are not average voters, as they knowledgeable in politics and are extreme when in comes to their opinions!

- State Party Convention is a closed meeting elected state party committee-members, who select national delegates.

- Caucus is a meeting where any affiliated voter can come and select individuals to serve as delegates in favor of a candidate. Neighborhood delegates go to the county convention, county delegates go to the state convention, and state delegates go to the National Party Convention Delegates.