Citizen Participation and Political Party Membership

Most people who are citizens of the United States and who are at least 18 years old have the right to vote, enabling them to have a voice in local and national government. Today, many people choose to join political parties to affiliate themselves with others who have similar viewpoints.

Political Parties and the Government

Interestingly, the Founding Fathers had mixed feelings about political parties. Men such as Benjamin Franklin and James Madison felt that political parties might lead to the parties spending all of their time fighting with each other rather than working for the common good.

However, political parties were entrenched in American politics by the 1790s. The two main parties that existed at that time were the Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists. The Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, believed in limited government, while the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, wanted a strong, centralized government.

These two parties have long since faded from the political stage. However, the party system has not. By the mid-1800s, the two-party system was firmly rooted in United States politics. Interestingly, a two-party system does not mean that there are only two political parties. Rather, it means that most of the political power is vested in two main parties.

Today, the two main parties in the United States are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. However, many smaller parties exist, including the Green Party and the Libertarian Party.

Active Citizen Participation in Political Parties

If you feel particularly passionate about a political party, you can become a member of the party when you register to vote. Voter registration drives typically occur around election time.

If you do not want to wait for the next election, you can visit the United States Election Assistance Commission Web site. Here, you'll find a National Mail Voter Registration Form that you can download, fill out and return. In this form, you can request to become a member of your favorite political party.
 
In addition, many states, including California, Virginia and Texas, allow citizens to register to vote and join political parties at their local Department of Motor Vehicles. Many states also let citizens register to vote at local libraries and post offices.

Why Join a Political Party?

There are several advantages to having political party membership, including the following:
  • Primary Elections: A major advantage of joining a political party is that you will be able to vote in primary elections. People who are not affiliated with a political party cannot vote in primaries in some states. Primaries are held so that members of each party can vote on which candidate they would like to see go on to a general election.

  • Strength in Numbers: Another main advantage of joining a political party is that political parties can offer strength in numbers. As a member, you won't be a single person trying to impact government. Rather, you will be a member of a group of people trying to impact government.

There are also some disadvantages of becoming a member of a political party. One of the main disadvantages is that while you may agree with some of the major ideas of a given party, you may also disagree with many of party's stances on other issues.

For example, you might join the Republican Party because you agree with the concept of having a smaller government. However, you may disagree with the Republican Party's stand on abortion or gay rights.
 
Resources
 
Memory.loc.gov (n.d.). Party System. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from the Memory.loc.gov Web site: http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/election/partysys.htm.
 
The Social Studies Help Center (n.d.). Political Parties. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from the Social Studies Help Center Web site: http://www.socialstudieshelp.com/APGOV_Notes_WeekEight.htm.
 
Today’s Family News (n.d.). Activism 101: Join a Political Party. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from the Today’s Family News Web site: http://www.fotf.ca/tfn/takeAction/Activism_101/Join_a_Party.html.
 
United States Assistance Commission (n.d.). Hot Topics Register to Vote. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from the United States Assistance Commission Web site: http://www.eacsite.org/register_vote.asp.
 
U.S. Info (n.d.). Political Parties. Retrieved July 24, 2007, from the U.S. Info Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/outusgov/parties.htm.