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List of political parties in the United States
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This SourceThis list of political parties in the United States contains past and present political parties in the United States.
Parties in presidential contention
Each of five parties shares a degree of national attention by attaining the mathematical possibility of its nominee becoming President of the United States -- i.e., having ballot status for its presidential candidate in states whose collective total is at least half of the Electoral-College votes -- in either the most recent presidential election, in 2004, or the next one, in 2008:| Party Name | 2004 Electoral Votes | 2004 Popular Votes (Millions) | Recent Presidential Wins | Date Founded | Founder(s) | Current Party Chair(s) | Republican Party | 286 | 62 | 2004, 2000, 1988, 1984, 1980 | 1854 | Alvan E. Bovay/ Abraham Lincoln | Mike Duncan | Democratic Party | 251 | 59 | 1996, 1992, 1976 | 1792/ 1820s | Thomas Jefferson/ Andrew Jackson | Howard Dean | Libertarian Party | 0 | 0.47 | -- | 1971 | David Nolan | Bill Redpath | Constitution Party | 0 | 0.14 | -- | 1992 | Howard Phillips | Jim Clymer | Green Party | 0 | 0.12 | -- | 1984/ 2001 | Howie Hawkins, John Rensenbrink, et al | 7 Co-chairs | |
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Other parties that have nominated candidates in recent elections
These parties have offered candidates in recent elections, but did not in 2004, and they do not have ballot status in enough states in 2008 to win the presidency. Some do not have presidential candidates, but for other offices only.
- America First Party (2002)
- Centrist Party (United States) (2006)
- Independence Party of America (2007)
- Jefferson Republican Party
- Moderate Party (2006) - Founded in Illinois by Bill Scheuer, registered as a party in Florida
- Marijuana Party (2002)
- Peace and Freedom Party (1967) - active primarily in California
- Prohibition Party (1867)
- Reform Party of the United States of America (1995) - currently divided into two factions both using the name of the "Reform Party"
- Socialist Equality Party (1953)
- Socialist Party USA (1973)
- Socialist Workers Party (1938)
- Workers World Party (1959)
- Working Families Party (1998)
Other parties that have not nominated candidates in recent elections
Some of these parties have nominated candidates in the past, but have not done so recently for various reasons. Others have not yet nominated any candidates.
- American Party (1969)
- American Patriot Party (2003)
- American Heritage Party (2000)
- American Reform Party (1997)
- Christian Freedom Party (2004)
- Christian Falangist Party of America (1985)
- Communist Party USA (1919)
- Democratic Socialists of America
- Freedom Road Socialist Organization (1985)
- Independent American Party (1998)
- Labor Party (1995)
- National Socialist Movement (1974)
- New American Independent Party (2004)
- New Union Party (1974)
- Personal Choice Party (1997)
- Populist Party of America (2002)
- Progressive Labor Party
- Revolutionary Communist Party, USA
- Social Democratic Party of America (2007)
- Socialist Action (1983)
- Socialist Alternative (1986)
- Socialist Labor Party (1876)
- Unity08 (2006)
- Workers Party, USA
- World Socialist Party of the United States (1916)
- United Fascist League (2007)
Regional parties that have nominated candidates
Few, if any, of these parties have nominated presidential candidates. The years are when they were founded.- Alaskan Independence Party (1984)
- Aloha Aina Party
- American Independent Party (1968) - the California affiliate of the Constitution Party
- Charter Party of Cincinnati, Ohio (1924)
- Connecticut for Lieberman Party (2006)
- Conservative Party of New York (1962)
- Covenant Party (Northern Mariana Islands)
- Independence Party of Minnesota (1992)
- Independence Party of New York (1991)
- Independent Citizens Movement (US Virgin Islands)
- Liberal Party of Minnesota
- Liberal Party of New York (1944)
- Liberty Union Party (Vermont) (1970)
- Marijuana Reform Party (New York) (1997)
- New Jersey Conservative Party (1992)
- New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico (1967)
- New York State Right to Life Party (1970)
- Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico (1938)
- Populist Party of Maryland (Nader 2004 - affiliated, unrelated to earlier so-named parties)
- Puerto Rican Independence Party (1946)
- Republican Moderate Party of Alaska (1986)
- Southern Party (1999)
- The Centre Party (Florida) (2007)
- United Party (Idaho) (2005)
- United Citizens Party (1969) - South Carolina
- Vermont Progressive Party (1999)
Historical political parties
- The following parties are no longer functioning. Some of them had considerable influence. Listed in order of founding.
- Federalist Party (c.1789–c.1820)
- Democratic-Republican Party (1792–c.1824)
- Anti-Masonic Party (1826–1838)
- National Republican Party (1829–1833)
- Nullifier Party (1830–1839)
- Whig Party (1833–1856)
- Liberty Party (1840–1848)
- Law and Order Party of Rhode Island (1840s)
- Free Soil Party (1848–1855)
- Anti-Nebraska Party (1854)
- American Republican Party (1843-1854)
- American Party (“Know-Nothings”) (c.1854–1858)
- Opposition Party (1854–1858)
- Constitutional Union Party (1860)
- National Union Party, (1864–1868)
- Readjuster Party (1870-1885)
- Liberal Republican Party (1872)
- Greenback Party (1874–1884)
- Anti-Monopoly Party (1884)
- Populist Party (1892–1908)
- Silver Party (1892-1902)
- National Democratic Party/Gold Democrats (1896–1900)
- Silver Republican Party (1896-1900)
- Social Democratic Party (1900–1901)
- Home Rule Party of Hawaii (created to serve the native Hawaiian agenda in the state legislature and U.S. Congress) (1900–1912)
- Socialist Party of America (1901–1973)
- Independence Party (or "Independence League") (1906-1914)
- Progressive Party 1912 (“Bull Moose Party”) (1912–1914)
- National Woman's Party (1913-1930)
- Non-Partisan League (Not a party in the technical sense) (1915–1956)
- Farmer-Labor Party (1918–1944)
- Progressive Party 1924 (1924)
- Communist League of America (1928–1934)
- American Workers Party (1933–1934)
- Workers Party of the United States (1934–1938)
- Union Party (1936)
- American Labor Party (1936–1956)
- America First Party (1944) (1944–1996)
- States' Rights Democratic Party (“Dixiecrats”) (1948)
- Progressive Party 1948 (1948–1955)
- Vegetarian Party (1948–1964)
- Constitution Party (United States 50s) (1952–1968?)
- American Nazi Party (1959-1967)
- Puerto Rican Socialist Party (1959–1993)
- Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (1964)
- Communist Workers Party (1969–1985)
- People's Party (1971–1976)
- U.S. Labor Party (1975–1979)
- Concerned Citizens Party (1975-1992) Become the Connecticut affiliate of the Constitution Party (then known as U.S. Taxpayers Party) with party founding
- Citizens Party (1979–1984)
- New Alliance Party (1979–1992)
- Populist Party of 1980s-1990s (1984–1994)
- Looking Back Party (1984–1996)
- Grassroots Party (1986–2004)
- Independent Party of Utah (1988–1996)
- Greens/Green Party USA (1991–2005)
- New Party (1992 – 1998)
- Natural Law Party (1992–2004)
- Mountain Party (2000-2007) Become the West Virginia affiliate of the Green Party July 16, 2007
See also
Other lists
- List of state Constitution Parties in the U.S.
- List of state Green Parties in the U.S.
- List of state Libertarian Parties in the U.S.
- List of political parties to browse parties by country
- List of political parties by ideology to browse parties by name
- Membership of internationals to browse parties by membership of internationals
- List of political parties in Puerto Rico
- List of frivolous political parties
External links
Further reading
- Nash, Howard P., Jr.; M. B. Schnapper (1959). Third Parties in American Politics.
- Ness, Immanuel; James Ciment (c2000). The Encyclopedia of Third Parties in America. Armonk, N.Y.: Sharpe Reference. ISBN 0-7656-8020-3.
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Last updated on Tuesday March 11, 2008 at 22:40:37 PDT (GMT -0700)
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