Making laws
whip
The party leader responsible for counting votes and keeping members in line before a floor vote.
In full
Each party in each chamber elects a whip (with teams of deputies) to canvass members before important votes, report the count to leadership, and pressure or persuade stragglers. The name comes from British fox hunting's 'whipper-in', who keeps the hounds together.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.