Political parties are organizations of people who come together to win elections, manage the government, and shape public policies. In the United States, there are two major political parties: the Republicans and the Democrats. Other parties may be grouped into these two major parties, or they may fall under other ideological umbrellas such as progressive, libertarian, conservative, socialist, or communist. In order for a group of voters to form a new political party, they must meet two requirements. Firstly, they must have inhabitants from a certain district, followers of a certain political leader or religious sect, or disciples of a certain religious sect.
Secondly, they must submit registration affidavits to the Secretary of State expressing their preference for the political entity before the date on which the political entity submitted its notification. Temporary officials of the newly qualified political party must also notify the Secretary of State of their selection within 30 days of meeting the requirements. The designated name of the new political party must not be too similar to an existing party so as to mislead voters, and it must not conflict with any existing political party or other political body. Upon receipt of the notification, the Secretary of State will inform county election officials of the name of the political body, its intention to qualify as a political party, and whether it intends to qualify for the next primary election or presidential general election. A recently qualified political party must also decide which statutory provisions the existing political party will follow for its presidential primary elections. The four main political parties in the United States are Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians and Progressives. Each party has its own set of beliefs and values that guide their policies and actions.
The Republican Party is generally considered to be conservative and pro-business. The Democratic Party is typically seen as more liberal and progressive. The Libertarian Party is focused on individual freedom and limited government intervention. The Progressive Party is focused on social justice and economic equality.
