Primaries & Caucuses

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.,Publishing as Longman

Party FunctionsPolitical Party

An organization that seeks political power by electing people to office so that its positions and philosophy become public policy

Unify the Electorate

Help Organize Government

Translate Preferences into Policy

Provide Loyal Opposition

Organize the Competition

CaucusesCaucuses

Closed meeting of party members in each state Delegates select the party’s choice for presidential candidate Currently, six states, including Nevada in 2008, offer party

caucuses selecting presidential nominees.

Barrack Obama campaigns in Iowa

CaucusesCaucuses

Hilary Clinton (D) and Rudy Guilliani (R) campaigning in Iowa

Questions for Discussion:

1. The Iowa Caucus was on January 3, 2008. Why is it so important?

2. Brainstorm pros and cons to the caucus format.

Primaries

Primary Season - January - June

Who Decides? - State party organizations for the most part decide the rules for the primaries in a particular state.

Types of Primaries: Closed Primaries Open Primaries

Presidential Primary Elections - special elections in which voters select candidates to be the party’s nominee for president in the general election.

Mitt Romney campaigning in New Hampshire

Closed Primary• Voters may vote in a party's primary only if

they are registered members of that party

Open Primary

• A registered voter may vote in any party primary regardless of his or her own party affiliation.

Methods of Selecting Presidential Delegates by State

2008 Open & Closed Primaries

Map of 2008 Primary & Caucus Dates