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.
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.
