Political parties in the U.S. have a complex structure, operating at local, state, and national levels. They play a crucial role in shaping policy, mobilizing voters, and selecting candidates through primaries and conventions.

The two-party system dominates American politics, with Democrats and Republicans as the main players. Party loyalty influences voting patterns, while increasing polarization has widened the ideological gap between parties in recent years.

Political Party Structure and Organization

Party organization vs electorate

• Party in the electorate consists of voters who identify with a particular political party and may register as members or simply support its candidates and policies without a formal organizational structure
• Party organization has a formal structure that coordinates party activities, supports candidates, and operates in a hierarchical manner with national, state, and local levels, including elected officials, party leaders, and activists responsible for fundraising, candidate recruitment, and campaign management

Levels of party operations

• County level involves local party committees and clubs engaging in grassroots organizing, voter outreach, and coordinating with state and national party organizations
• State level includes state party committees and conventions that develop state-specific party platforms, coordinate campaigns, and serve as a link between local and national party organizations
• National level consists of national party committees (DNC, RNC) that develop national party platforms (party platform), coordinate presidential campaigns, provide resources and support to state and local party organizations, and organize national party conventions to nominate presidential candidates

Political Parties and Voting

Voting in party structures

• Parties use primary elections to select candidates for general elections, allowing voters registered with a party to participate and shape the party's platform and direction
• In general elections, parties mobilize voters to support their candidates, with voting patterns revealing the strength of party loyalty among the electorate and election outcomes influencing the party's future strategies and policies
• Voter turnout is a critical factor that parties strive to increase through various strategies and outreach efforts

Parties in government vs voters

• In government, elected officials from the same party often vote together on legislation, with party leadership in Congress and state legislatures setting policy priorities and the majority party controlling committee appointments and the legislative agenda
• Among voters, parties serve as a heuristic, simplifying decision-making by allowing voters to infer a candidate's positions on issues based on party affiliation, while parties work to maintain and expand their base of supporters through voter outreach, registration drives, and get-out-the-vote efforts

Party Dynamics and Evolution

Two-party system and polarization

• The United States predominantly operates under a two-party system, with Democrats and Republicans dominating national politics
• Party polarization has increased in recent decades, with growing ideological differences between the two major parties
• Political ideology plays a significant role in shaping party platforms and voter preferences

Party realignment and shifts

• Party realignment occurs when there are major shifts in the coalitions that support each party, often due to changing social, economic, or demographic factors
• These realignments can lead to long-term changes in the political landscape and party dominance in certain regions or among specific voter groups