A democrat was a word that originally referred to a republican in the French Revolution, or someone who opposed the aristocracy. The prefix demo- means "common people." Democracy is a political system promoting the rule of the common people over the rich or elites. It presumes that every person should have a say in choosing who gets to represent him in government, and should be involved in promoting his own rights. A democrat is a person who believes in democracy.

Voters in both national and local elections often register as either a Republican or a Democrat, while others are unaffiliated with either party, or may join a much smaller political party. Traditionally, Democrats believe in an active federal government, especially for helping those in need, and tend to be more liberal on social issues than Republicans. If you're a Democrat, you're a member of the oldest political party in the US. The Greek root is demokratia, "popular government."