# "Belonging" to a political party **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001 "2006-01-28T18:01:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/1 "2006-01-28T18:01:22Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=355925), the OP asks about the consequences of being a member of the communist party. In the U.S., is anyone ever really a “member” of a political party? Since I came of voting age, I’ve voted for national and state politicians belonging to four different parties that I can recall, plus independents that claimed no party at all. I’m registered with one of the big parties, but that doesn’t control the way I vote–only which primary I can vote in. I’ve never received (or been offered) a membership card for a political party, and I’ve never paid dues to a political party. The majority of people in the U.S. identify themselves as Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Greens, or whatever; but do they actually “belong” to that party? If I wanted to find out, for example, what party Bill Gates or Steve Jobs “belong” to, is there a list? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/2 "2006-01-28T18:45:45Z")
You start out belonging by actually particiapating in a political campaign or cause associated with a particular party. Alot of people start out by be volenteers who answer phones, knock on doors and join orgainzed marchs and such. Over years of doing this you network with like minded people and end up being a card carrying whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/3 "2006-01-28T19:00:58Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > In the U.S., is anyone ever really a “member” of a political party? In general, no. The Democratic and Republican parties don’t charge dues or maintain formal membership rolls. As you note, in some states you can declare a party preference when you register, and you’ll be described as a “registered Democrat” or “registered Republican”, since this information is public. That doesn’t exactly make you a “member” of a party, though. Minor parties sometimes **do** maintain membership rolls–until recently the Libertarian Party charged dues, maintained a membership list, and issued membership cards. I’m sure other minor parties have done likewise, but I have no idea about the Communists. During times when they were persecuted, I imagine they would have been reluctant to maintain _anything_ in writing. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/4 "2006-01-28T19:06:51Z")
> [@Si Amigo](#): > > Over years of doing this you network with like minded people and end up being a card carrying whatever. So you’re saying there actually _is_ a membership card (I’m speaking of the hoi polloi here, not the politicians themselves)? How many people actually have them for the “big two” parties? ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/5 "2006-01-28T19:26:08Z")
Neither the Democratic nor Republican parties offer membership cards through their websites. [http://www.democrats.org](http://www.democrats.org) [http://www.gop.com](http://www.gop.com) Most states will give you a card to prove you are a registered voter, but they usually don’t have party affiliations on them. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/6 "2006-01-28T19:29:33Z")
> [@Freddy the Pig](#): > > As you note, in some states you can declare a party preference when you register, and you’ll be described as a “registered Democrat” or “registered Republican”, since this information is public. That doesn’t exactly make you a “member” of a party, though. It would seem to in some states, at least. According to the [RULES OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK](http://www.nydems.org/html/rules.html): > [@](#): > > Section 1: Party Membership > > (a) The membership of the Democratic party of the State of New York shall consist of the duly enrolled Democrats within the State. [The Board of Elections of the City of New York](http://vote.nyc.ny.us/voterfaq.html) says: > [@](#): > > “How Do I Enroll In A Political Party?” > You voluntarily enroll in any party by indicating your preference on the voter registration form either at the same time that you register to vote or by re-registering. Evidently, if you register/enroll as a Democrat in New York, you are considered a member of that party. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/7 "2006-01-28T21:04:41Z")
The only time I can ever think of party membership being important for your average voter is in states with closed primaries. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/8 "2006-01-28T21:09:20Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > Neither the Democratic nor Republican parties offer membership cards through their websites. > > [http://www.democrats.org](http://www.democrats.org) > [http://www.gop.com](http://www.gop.com) > > Most states will give you a card to prove you are a registered voter, but they usually don’t have party affiliations on them. If you donate money to the party, I guarantee they’ll send you a membership card. I know this from experience. The only actual work I’ve done for the party was in the campaign of 1970. After that, I only sent them checks, and every year they send me a membership card. The card itself is worthless, and it won’t get you into any dinners or meetings that a non-member couldn’t go to. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/9 "2006-01-28T22:29:07Z")
Here in Minnesota, we have a Precinct Caucus system, rather than an open Primary election. People get together at meetings in their neighborhoods and elect ‘delegates’ to represent them at conventions where they choose the party candidate for each office. In those Precinct Caucus meetings, people who attend do sign up as members of the political party. The specific statement they affirm is: “I am a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party, and not an ‘independent’ or a member of any other party.” And they do get put on lists, asked to volunteer, etc. But I don’t recall any specific ‘membership card’ being sent to people. Probably because it’s not of any specific use for anything. There are often various kinds of cards sent by campaigns to regular contributors, or hard workers, as a sort of honorary thing recognizing their efforts. But those aren’t really any kind of a membership card. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/10 "2006-01-28T22:39:50Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=355925), the OP asks about the consequences of being a member of the communist party. In the U.S., is anyone ever really a “member” of a political party? Back in the 1930s, the Communist Party was far more of a cohesive organization than today’s political parties are. You could be literally a “card-carrying” communist, and it would imply that you were more than someone who merely voted for a Communist Party candidate. You probably went to meetings, distributed literature, acted for various causes, etc. It was as much social and cultural as political. > [@](#): > > The majority of people in the U.S. identify themselves as Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Greens, or whatever; but do they actually “belong” to that party? If I wanted to find out, for example, what party Bill Gates or Steve Jobs “belong” to, is there a list? As others have said, “belonging” to a party is meaningless today. Registration in a party at most allows you exclusive rights to vote in the primary for that party - but only in those states which maintain those rules. (New York is one.) Political party registration is a state matter and different rules apply everywhere. However, I believe that registration lists are always public documents and are available for inspection. The state may make you jump through various hoops to see them, though. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/11 "2006-01-29T02:06:05Z")
Look up the difference between caucus and primary states – that’ll go into more detail about what it is to “belong” to a party. ---
**Author:** ![Neptunian\_Slug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/12 "2006-01-29T02:22:26Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > Neither the Democratic nor Republican parties offer membership cards through their websites. > > [http://www.democrats.org](http://www.democrats.org) > [http://www.gop.com](http://www.gop.com) They do and they don’t. Both parties give away ‘membership cards’ to those who donate. Essentially it means nothing. You don’t get any admission to any special functions or anything. If you are in a closed primary state, you do have to be registered with that party. But its your voter registration card that gets you in, not your RNC or DNC membership card. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belonging-to-a-political-party/342001/13 "2006-01-29T03:06:36Z")
The “card carrying” referance in my previous post was merely meant to be a play on the term “card carrying communist”. 😛 But there people who are considered party members without holding an elceted office in order to prove so. I would consider someone like Karl Rove a card carring Republican even if he didn’t have a card to prove it! 😃