Party-line vote
Encyclopedia
A party-line vote in a deliberative assembly
(such as a constituent assembly
, parliament
, or legislature
) is a vote in which every member of a political party
votes the same way (usually in opposition to the other political party(ies) whose members vote the opposite way). The term implies that the decision is irrelevant to the merits of the issue at hand or the political beliefs of individual members, but instead is dictated by party policy.
it is the function of the party whip of each party in each house to ensure that members adhere to party policies and in particular that members vote for or against bills
, amendments, and (in the case of the United States Senate
) for or against treaties
and Administration appointments as determined by senior party leadership. The leverage available to the party whip may be in rewards (such as the negotiation of side deals for pork barrel
spending), or in punishments (such as withholding appointments to powerful committees). The ultimate threat is to support another candidate in the primary election
which is a threat made possible by gerrymandering that ensures the success of a particular party's candidate. The party whip will operate under the direction of the particular party's leader (called respectively the majority leader
or the minority leader
).
Deliberative assembly
A deliberative assembly is an organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions. In a speech to the electorate at Bristol in 1774, Edmund Burke described the English Parliament as a "deliberative assembly," and the expression became the basic term for a body of...
(such as a constituent assembly
Constituent assembly
A constituent assembly is a body composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution...
, parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
, or legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
) is a vote in which every member of a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
votes the same way (usually in opposition to the other political party(ies) whose members vote the opposite way). The term implies that the decision is irrelevant to the merits of the issue at hand or the political beliefs of individual members, but instead is dictated by party policy.
The United States
In the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
it is the function of the party whip of each party in each house to ensure that members adhere to party policies and in particular that members vote for or against bills
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
, amendments, and (in the case of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
) for or against treaties
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
and Administration appointments as determined by senior party leadership. The leverage available to the party whip may be in rewards (such as the negotiation of side deals for pork barrel
Pork barrel
Pork barrel is a derogatory term referring to appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative's district...
spending), or in punishments (such as withholding appointments to powerful committees). The ultimate threat is to support another candidate in the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
which is a threat made possible by gerrymandering that ensures the success of a particular party's candidate. The party whip will operate under the direction of the particular party's leader (called respectively the majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
or the minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
).