Final answer:
Congressional party leaders may allocate patronage based on seniority utilizing the spoils system, ensuring party loyalty. Other methods include caucus discussions or proportional representation. While not related to patronage, U.S. Supreme Court justices are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Congressional party leaders might dole out patronage based on seniority. This system, known as the spoils system, typically involves political appointments given in return for support within the party, which may imply party loyalty. There are other ways that parties might select individuals, such as being chosen by machine bosses, convention delegates, or through a caucus system where party members discuss and vote on candidates. To reduce corruption and encourage fairness, some democracies adopt proportional representation, where parties select individuals based on the share of votes received, rather than individual candidates being directly elected.
For example, in the context of the U.S. Supreme Court, justices are not appointed through a patronage system but are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The method of selection for elected officials is important because it represents whose interests they will serve. Commonly, incumbents in congressional and local elections have a high chance of re-election due to the incumbency advantage, often leading to less competition in elections and maintaining the status quo.