Yep. It also enables a wider sense of party allegiance to apply in primaries (well, where primaries are still constrained even so). Which I don't think is a good thing -- the candidates of a party should be selected by those who involve themselves with politics deep enough, and show colours by becoming card-carrying members; otherwise, any programme can be watered up indefinitely and other parties may influence results on purpose, IMO.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}