What is the role of whips in a legislative body?

Whips play a crucial role in maintaining party discipline within legislative bodies. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that party members vote in alignment with the party's stance on issues and legislation. This involves communicating the party's position on specific votes, gauging member support, and persuading members to adhere to party lines.

Additionally, whips track how lawmakers intend to vote and provide leadership with an accurate picture of the votes that can be expected on upcoming legislation. They often engage in negotiation and persuasion to maintain cohesion within the party, making them essential for achieving legislative goals. This role becomes especially important in closely divided legislatures where every vote matters for passing or defeating legislation.

Other roles mentioned, such as drafting legislation, managing public relations, and leading committee meetings, while valuable in their own right, do not specifically pertain to the primary function of whips in managing party cohesion and ensuring consistent support from party members on votes.