How many different kinds of primaries are there?
Critical Analysis
Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:
According to the data from the map above, what is the most common type of primary election in the U.S.?
The rules that determine who can vote in primaries vary widely by state. Most primaries fall under one of these systems:
Closed: Only voters registered with the party holding the primary can vote. The deadline for affiliating with a party varies by state.
Partially closed: Political parties can decide before each election whether voters not registered with any party (often called unaffiliated voters) may participate in their nominating contest. Under this system, Democrats could allow independents to vote while still excluding Republicans.
Open: Voters may cast a ballot in either party's primary without registering with that party or publicly declaring which ballot they want.
Partially open: Under this system, states allow voters to cast a ballot with either party — but they must ask for a party's ballot publicly. Some states allow unaffiliated voters to vote in either primary but don't let members of one party cross over and vote in the opposing party's contest.
Other: A few states have set up more unusual primary systems. In California, Washington and Louisiana, there's one primary ballot and the top two winners, regardless of party, go on to the general election. In California that often leads to two Democrats facing off in the general election. Nebraska also uses this system but only for its state elections. California has a Jungle Primary!!!! They really do!
According to the data from the map above, what type of primary election does your silly state have?
The New Hampshire Primary is partially open. What does that mean in terms of who can vote in New Hampshire’s primary?
How does the primary system of voting relate to federalism and if the U.S. had a unitary system instead of a federalism what would the map above look like?
Did you know that the U.S. didn’t always have primary elections. Once up on a time the parties just told party members who they could vote for in the general election! What is one advantage of the primary system and what is one disadvantage of it?
Primary is now a verb, as in: to primary an incumbent. Or, wow, that house committee chairperson just got primaried from out of nowhere. What do you think the verb form of primary means?
Considering that the Declaration of Independence proclaimed that, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” and that section 1 of the 14th Amendment guarantees, “No State shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Do you think we’d be better off with one single national voting standard for all Americans instead of our statewide crazy patchwork quilt of elections?
What is one advantage of a closed primary over an open primary.
In years past, some sneaky members of the other party would vote in open primaries for the most extreme candidate of the opposite party!!!! Aha! Why would they do this?
Americans vote so much that ballot fatigue (the fact that we vote so much) is often cited as a reason for our low voter turnout. Do you think we should get rid of primary elections?
Write and Discuss
Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.
Act on your Learning
Contact your state election office website and get more data about elections in your silly state. Share what you find out in class or online.
Get Creative
Imagine that your state was overrun by tons of people who are very politically different from the majority of the citizens of your state. What would things look like in your newly invaded state? Write about an encounter at a grocery store between the new arrivals and locals.
Learning Extension
Learn more about how primary elections work with this crazy crazy video! Or listen to this insane radio story on America’s “primary problem”.
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