minor party
noun
: a political party whose electoral strength is so small as to prevent its gaining control of a government except in rare and exceptional circumstances
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web In 2018, Lamont and Oz Griebel, a minor party candidate on the ballot, debated once without Stefanowski. 
Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 17 Sep. 2022 Nine candidates in the race were undeclared or nonpartisan candidates, nine were Republicans, one was a Democrat, and three were minor party candidates. Kyle Morris, Fox News, 17 Aug. 2022 The election will probably be close, analysts say, and could end in a hung Parliament, in which neither major party achieves a majority and must court independent or minor party candidates to form a government. Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, 20 May 2022 The only minor party candidate elected to the Legislature since the Progressive era of the early 20th century was Audie Bock, a Green Party member who won a special Assembly election in 1999. John Myers, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2022 Five coalition senators in November crossed the floor to back a minor party’s bill against vaccine mandates, which was unsuccessful. Stuart Condie, WSJ, 16 Jan. 2022 During the tea party wave, Haran became frustrated with the new activists’ anti-government tilt and turned to the Constitution Party, a minor party that’s to the right of the GOP. Isaac Arnsdorf, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Oct. 2021 During the tea party wave, Haran became frustrated with the new activists’ anti-government tilt and turned to the Constitution Party, a minor party that’s to the right of the GOP. Isaac Arnsdorf, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2021 The deadline for independent and/or minor party candidates to qualify is November 16 at 5 p.m. Mike Cason | Mcason@al.com, al, 30 Aug. 2021 See More
Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 17 Sep. 2022 Nine candidates in the race were undeclared or nonpartisan candidates, nine were Republicans, one was a Democrat, and three were minor party candidates. Kyle Morris, Fox News, 17 Aug. 2022 The election will probably be close, analysts say, and could end in a hung Parliament, in which neither major party achieves a majority and must court independent or minor party candidates to form a government. Michael E. Miller, Washington Post, 20 May 2022 The only minor party candidate elected to the Legislature since the Progressive era of the early 20th century was Audie Bock, a Green Party member who won a special Assembly election in 1999. John Myers, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2022 Five coalition senators in November crossed the floor to back a minor party’s bill against vaccine mandates, which was unsuccessful. Stuart Condie, WSJ, 16 Jan. 2022 During the tea party wave, Haran became frustrated with the new activists’ anti-government tilt and turned to the Constitution Party, a minor party that’s to the right of the GOP. Isaac Arnsdorf, Anchorage Daily News, 21 Oct. 2021 During the tea party wave, Haran became frustrated with the new activists’ anti-government tilt and turned to the Constitution Party, a minor party that’s to the right of the GOP. Isaac Arnsdorf, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2021 The deadline for independent and/or minor party candidates to qualify is November 16 at 5 p.m. Mike Cason | Mcason@al.com, al, 30 Aug. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
1949, in the meaning defined above