A minor party is one that has very few or no officially elected members. Examples of minor parties include the Green party and the Libertarian party.
The members of a minor party tend to support the platform of a major party.
Splinter party Faction Dissenting clique
Reform Party
Third party
the minor party candidate is likely to draw votes from the opposition.
A minor party introduced the idea of national nominating conventions.
Populist Party
Libertarian Party
The minor party that is formed to address one problem is known as a single-issue party.
In 1860 The Republican Party, a minor party, took over for the Whig party, and Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States. In 1864 the Republican Party had become a major party. It nominated Fremont as president. A minor party, The National Union Party, a minor party, nominated a Republican, Abraham Lincoln, for President, and a Democrat, Andrew Johnson, for Vice President. Abraham Lincoln won. A minor party won in both 1860 and in 1864 in the United States. None of the politicians wanted Lincoln, only the people.
A minor party introduced the idea of national nominating conventions.