Why do the Major US Political Parties have so many Members?

[Genersis]

Just a simple question.

It seems pretty crazy that the Republicans have almost 10% of the population of the US registered as members. And the Democrats have over 10%!

The only party that comes close to these figures in my country is the Scottish National Party, at 2.24% of Scotland's population. Though the Labour Party's membership has been on the rise and is approaching 1% across the whole of the UK.

Does voter registration require party membership/registration in some states or something?

 

[SepiaAndDust]

Does voter registration require party membership/registration in some states or something?

No. To vote in a party's primary, though, you usually have to be a member of the party. There are plenty of voters who aren't registered as members of any party but who will still vote a straight party ticket.

 

[Tallguy88]

My understanding is that party affiliation in the UK is very official. In the US, it's mostly based on how you self-identify. You become a Democrat by calling yourself a Democrat. Ditto Republicans.

Some states do have you register party affiliation, but the benefits of doing so vary. In my state, for example, you can vote in either party's primary regardless of how you are registered. Other states make you vote in your party's primary.

Funny story: I've never been registered as anything other than an Independent. But a few months ago, I got a letter in the mail, addressed specifically to me (not to "current resident") from the DNC itself thanking me for being a loyal Democrat. It even came with a bumper sticker that said "I vote for Democrats". I have no idea how they got the idea that I was a Democrat, especially a "loyal Democrat". I always end up voting a split ticket.

 

[pdudgeon]

My understanding is that party affiliation in the UK is very official. In the US, it's mostly based on how you self-identify. You become a Democrat by calling yourself a Democrat. Ditto Republicans.

Some states do have you register party affiliation, but the benefits of doing so vary. In my state, for example, you can vote in either party's primary regardless of how you are registered. Other states make you vote in your party's primary.

Funny story: I've never been registered as anything other than an Independent. But a few months ago, I got a letter in the mail, addressed specifically to me (not to "current resident") from the DNC itself thanking me for being a loyal Democrat. It even came with a bumper sticker that said "I vote for Democrats". I have no idea how they got the idea that I was a Democrat, especially a "loyal Democrat". I always end up voting a split ticket.

i think they were hoping to convince you to become a loyal Democrat by declaring that you already are one.
that persuasive tactic is at work in many areas of our lives.
It's an appeal to both our vanity and our self image.
and since it also comes unsolicited and from a respected source,
that adds weight to their supposition.

What it attempts to do is to convince persons that other people see them as being something different from how they see themselves.
and that the portrayed image that others have of them is usually something different, better,
and grander than how they see themselves.

For example telling a high school baseball player that he has potential to become a major league star player
if he will sign up to go to X college and play ball for them.
maybe he has potential and maybe they just need a third baseman for their team.

But if they make him think he has "Great Expectations" ,
then he's more likely to agree to play college ball for them.
(yes, it's a very old trick indeed)

Same thing with that political party.
If they can convinve a person that they are already "on the team" then it's more likely
that when in the voting booth that voter will choose the party's candidate for office.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

By convincing the masses that they cannot possibly win by casting a ballot for a Third-Party or Alternative party candidate. What many forget is that the "Republican Party" originated as a "Third Party"; at the time it was either 'Whigs' or 'Democrats'.

 

[Fantine]

One reason why people may chose a political party is the ability to vote in primary elections. Even if they support smaller parties, those parties rarely have primaries (if ever) and people might want to have a say in who the major party candidates, who are more likely to win, are.

Declaring oneself as Democrat or Republican does not mean the person supports either party financially or gets involved in campaigns. It is a minimal commitment at best.

 

[s_gunter]

My understanding is that party affiliation in the UK is very official. In the US, it's mostly based on how you self-identify. You become a Democrat by calling yourself a Democrat. Ditto Republicans.

Some states do have you register party affiliation, but the benefits of doing so vary. In my state, for example, you can vote in either party's primary regardless of how you are registered. Other states make you vote in your party's primary.

Funny story: I've never been registered as anything other than an Independent. But a few months ago, I got a letter in the mail, addressed specifically to me (not to "current resident") from the DNC itself thanking me for being a loyal Democrat. It even came with a bumper sticker that said "I vote for Democrats". I have no idea how they got the idea that I was a Democrat, especially a "loyal Democrat". I always end up voting a split ticket.

I got one of those yesterday, even though I too vote split ticket, except mine was from our U.S. Representative, who is a Republican. I just chalked it up as campaigning. The politicians probably just hit the voter registry, and send out the campaign letters, making assumptions along the way...