What Is a Minority Whip?
A minority whip is a person in the legislature who assists the minority party leader in the House or Senate with keeping the party’s votes consistent and ensuring that people attend important votes. The minority whip is a high ranking individual in the overall structure of the party and a key member of the legislature. In regions where party unity is critical to political success, such as the United Kingdom, people in this position can have significant political power. The term “whip” has its origins in fox hunting. Whips are members of the hunt staff who are responsible for keeping the hounds in order and focused together. If hounds attempt to split off from the pack or the pack becomes disorganized, the whippers-in, as they are also known, redirect the hounds under the direction of the hunt leader. Whips in legislature serve a similar function, working under the majority or minority leader to keep members of the party focused and on task.
