Which of the following best explains how political parties use party platforms?
A. Parties use their platform as a binding document that dictates how candidates in office will vote on issues.
B. Platforms are used to inform voters of how individual candidates within the party voted on recent public policy issues.
C. Parties use platforms as a means to raise large amounts of money from federal matching grants.
D. The platform is used to define the party's general stance on political issues.