What period are you talking about?
The major role that political parties play during the election process is: Encouraging citizens to vote.
Using one or the other mean, these parties convince people to cast their vote. They advertise for voting. They run door-to-door campaigns. They complete some welfare projects of localities only for one purpose that people cast the vote to their parties.
D.at John Hopkins University
explanation: He pioneered at the concept of the modern research university in the US in 1876 the first separate graduate was established at John Hopkins University!