Final answer:
Political parties consist of the party organization, party-in-the-electorate, and state and local organizations. The party organization includes active members coordinating party activities, while the party-in-the-electorate is made up of voters who identify with the party. Local and state organizations manage grassroots operations and larger electoral strategies.
Step-by-step explanation:
To explain who belongs to each component of our political parties: the party organization includes individuals who are actively involved in the structure and activities of the political party. They coordinate the party's actions and support their candidates. The party-in-the-electorate comprises voters who identify with a political party and generally vote for its candidates. Local and state organizations are key to the operation of a party, taking on substantial responsibilities such as mobilizing voters, identifying and training candidates, and fundraising, particularly at county and state levels.
The local organizations play a crucial role around election time, being the frontline workers for democracy by engaging in grassroots activities. State-level organizations coordinate efforts for statewide elections, targeting higher offices such as governors or congressional representatives and focusing on broader political strategies.
The contrast between party identifiers, who align themselves with a party publicly, and members of the party organization, who are involved in the functioning and decision-making processes of the party, highlights the different roles each plays in the party's overall mechanism.