Understanding Primary Elections
Primary elections in the United States determine which candidates will appear on the general election ballot in November. Primary elections and the similar caucus systems are party functions, meaning that in some states Democrats and Republicans may have different rules for their primaries.
Other People Are Reading
-
Open and Closed Primaries
-
Most states have either open or closed primaries. In open primaries, any registered voter may vote in either primary. In closed primaries, voters may only vote in their party's primaries. Additionally, several states use a caucus system for one or both parties in which party members meet to select their candidates. Idaho Democrats have open caucuses, while Minnesota has open caucuses for both parties.
Hybrid Systems
-
Some states' election rules do not fit neatly into the open/closed primary model. Ohio technically has a closed primary, but voters may declare or change their party affiliation on Election Day. In New Hampshire and North Carolina, Democrats and Republicans must vote in their primaries, but independents may vote in either one.
-
Top Two Systems
-
In most primary election systems, the candidate with the most votes in each party's primary gets on the general election ballot. However, as of 2010, Washington State and Louisiana use a "top-two" system and California's Proposition 14, passed in 2010, may institute the system there if it survives a court challenge. In a "top two" primary, the candidates with the most votes appear on the general election ballot regardless of party.
-
