Primary election

Written By Jonathan Milner

Definition

The purpose of a primary contest is not to directly select a presidential candidate, but rather to determine how many delegates will vote in support of a candidate at each political party’s national convention. Delegates are awarded either proportionally or winner-take-all, depending on the rules of the political party. In a primary, voters participate by casting ballots for their preferred candidate. The ballots are counted, and the number of delegates for the state’s political party are awarded to the winning candidate. Those delegates then attend the political party’s national convention and count toward the candidate’s delegate count. In 2024, 41 states and Washington, DC, will hold only primaries.

In an open primary, voters of any affiliation may vote in the primary of any party. In a closed primary, only voters registered with a given party can vote in that party’s primary. In a semi-closed primary, unaffiliated voters may choose which party primary to vote in, while voters registered with a party may only vote in that party’s primary. Representing a middle ground between the exclusion of independent voters in a closed primary and the free-for-all of open primaries, the semi-closed primary eliminates concerns about voters registered in other parties from “raiding” another party’s nominating contest.

Example

 
 

Questions

  1. What is a primary election in plain English?

  2. Do people directly vote for a presidential candidate at a primary?

  3. What is the difference between a primary election and a general election?

  4. Why do you think more people vote in general elections than in primaries?

  5. Who are they voting for?

  6. What is the difference between a caucus and a primary?

  7. What is one advantage of a primary election over a caucus?

  8. How many states have primaries?

  9. Who determines the rules of a primary election?

  10. What is the difference between a closed and an open primary?

Remember!

Now, let’s commit this term to our long-term memory. On a scrap piece of paper, take 10 or 20 seconds to draw caucus (election)! Draw with symbols or stick figures if you wish. Nothing fancy. Don’t expect a masterpiece. No one else will see this but you. Look at your drawing. That’s all - now it’s downloaded into your memory. Destroy the piece of paper in a most delightful way.

Further Review

GoPo Glossary

Jonathan Milner

Civics Maven!

https://www.gopopro.com/
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