Understanding the Democratic Primary Election

Primaries take place in the winter or spring before a presidential election. The primaries determine which candidates will be on the ballot in November. Members of the same party are competing for the chance to run against opposing parties. In essence, primaries are the preliminary events before the final race. There is no preferred method of conducting a primary between Republicans and Democrats, and all methods are commonly used for each party.

Open Primaries

Open primaries allow any registered voter to choose any candidate, regardless of political party. For example, if a person is a registered Republican but prefers to vote in the Democratic primary, it would be possible in an open primary.

Closed Primaries

Closed primaries allow only those who are registered with a particular party to vote in the primary. For example, if the Democratic party chose a closed primary in a particular state, only registered Democrats would be able to vote in that primary. It is also possible that one party might hold an open primary while the other holds a closed primary. For example, if the Democratic primary is closed and the Republican open, a registered Democrat would be able to vote in either primary.

Caucuses

Caucuses are also considered part of the primary process. However, instead of formally casting a vote, community members gather and discuss their options, eventually choosing one candidate to support.

References

• Primary election on Wikipedia