Minor party

Minor party is a political party that play a smaller (in some cases much smaller) role than a major party in a country's politics and elections. The difference between minor and major parties can be so big that the membership total, donations, and the candidates that they are able to produce or attract are very distinct. Some of the minor parties play almost no role in country's politics because of their low recognition, vote and donations. Minor parties often receive very small numbers of votes at an election (to the point of losing any candidate nomination deposit.) The method of voting can also assist or hinder a minor party's chances. For example, in an election for more than one member, the proportional represntation method of voting can be advantageous to a minor party as can preference allocation from one or both of the major parties.

Minor Parties in the United States

Minor parties in the United States are the Green Party and others that have less in influence than the major parties like the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. In the United Statesminor parties are often known as third parties of which there are quite a number.

Minor Parties in Australia

Minor Parties in Australia owe much of their success to the proportional representation method of voting. This allows minor parties to achieve at least one quota in the electorate or state and thus gain representation in a parliamentary chamber. Often minor parties have been so successful in gaining such representation that they are able to hold the balance of power in the particular house of the parliament (usually the Australian Senate. Some examples are the Democratic Labor Party (DLP)in the 1960s and early 1970s and the Australian Democrats in the late 1970s and the 1980s.

See also