The Nominating Process
Critical First Step1. Nomination
a. Single candidate is chosen from a larger field of candidates
2. The General Electiona. The regularly scheduled election at which
voters make a final selection of officeholders
How are nominations made?
1. Self-announcement2. Caucus: group of like-minded people
meet to select candidates they will support in upcoming election
3. Conventions: major parties pick nominees
How are nominations made?
4. Petition: candidates nominated by obtaining a certain required number of qualified voters’ signatures in the election district
How are nominations made?
5. Direct Primary: election within same party
a. Closed primary: only declared party members can vote
b. Open primary: any qualified voter can take part
i. Blanket primary: can vote for either party
Closed vs. Open PrimaryClosed
Prevents one party from raiding the other’s primary in hope of nominating weaker candidates
Helps make candidates more responsive to the party, its platform & members
Helps make voters more thoughtful, because they must choose between the parties in order to vote in the primaries
Open Voters are not forced
to make their party preferences known in public
The tendency to exclude independent voters is eliminated
The Runoff Primary
If no one wins a majority, the 2 top votegetters in the first direct primary face one another and the winner becomes nominee
Nonpartisan Primary Elections where
candidates are not identified by party labels› Usually elected
school and municipal offices
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