Primary elections in the USA are used to decide the candidates for each political party in the upcoming general election.
Primary Elections
Primary elections in the USA are used to decide the candidates for each political party in the upcoming general election. Delegates are chosen from each state to go to the National Convention, where each party officially nominates their candidate, and are required by law to support the winner of the primary at the convention.
In the case of Presidential primary elections, campaigning often begins a year or more before the first primary, held in New Hampshire, almost two years before the presidential election. New Hampshire's Primary by tradition is always the first, it is held two weeks after the Iowa caucus, in January of the presidential election year, after Iowa and New Hampshire, primaries and caucuses are held in the other states.
The New Hampshire primary has become one of the key events every election year; the candidate who wins the primary has more chance of becoming elected, due to an influx of money and increased support. Until Bill Clinton in 1992 no one who had lost New Hampshire had been elected.
In the 1980's a number of southern states banded together and decided to hold their primaries all on the same day in order to compete with New Hampshire, this became known as Super Tuesday. The first successful regional primary was Super Tuesday of March 8, 1988, in which nine Southern states united in the hope that the Democrats would select a candidate in line with Southern interests. Although the importance of New Hampshire was not decreased by Super Tuesday the day itself has become very influential, and the nominations for the two parties are usually settled on Super Tuesday. This system of holding several primaries at once is likely to lead to a national primary, which would be very much biased in favour of the richest candidates who don't have to rely upon donations as a result of winning other primaries.
Primary elections in the USA are used to decide the candidates for each political party in the upcoming general election. Delegates are chosen from each state to go to the National Convention, where each party officially nominates their candidate, and are required by law to support the winner of the primary at the convention.
In the case of Presidential primary elections, campaigning often begins a year or more before the first primary, held in New Hampshire, almost two years before the presidential election. New Hampshire's Primary by tradition is always the first, it is held two weeks after the Iowa caucus, in January of the presidential election year, after Iowa and New Hampshire, primaries and caucuses are held in the other states.
The New Hampshire primary has become one of the key events every election year; the candidate who wins the primary has more chance of becoming elected, due to an influx of money and increased support. Until Bill Clinton in 1992 no one who had lost New Hampshire had been elected.
In the 1980's a number of southern states banded together and decided to hold their primaries all on the same day in order to compete with New Hampshire, this became known as Super Tuesday. The first successful regional primary was Super Tuesday of March 8, 1988, in which nine Southern states united in the hope that the Democrats would select a candidate in line with Southern interests. Although the importance of New Hampshire was not decreased by Super Tuesday the day itself has become very influential, and the nominations for the two parties are usually settled on Super Tuesday. This system of holding several primaries at once is likely to lead to a national primary, which would be very much biased in favour of the richest candidates who don't have to rely upon donations as a result of winning other primaries.
