Primaries, Caucuses, and the Conventions

<h1>Text Preview</h1> <p> <P>Political parties determine their presidential candidates through primaries, caucuses, and conventions. Until the early part of the twentieth century, every state used caucuses to choose a candidate. Caucuses began to lose favor because many of the “political machines” that controlled the caucuses were corrupt and did not necessarily carry out the will of the people. Still, caucuses continue to be used in 12 states.<br></P> <P><b>Caucuses </b>begin on a local level, where members of a political party are selected to represent the local community. These delegates move on to the district level, then the state level, and possibly the national level. Party members at every level select the people they feel are best qualified to represent their interests. There are hundreds or even thousands of representatives at the national party convention.</P> </p> <p> <P><b>Primaries</b> are a more common method of selecting presidential candidates. Primaries were created to address the corruption and undue influence that was common in the caucus system. Voters directly cast their ballot for a candidate, and electors from each state pledge to support the candidate chosen by the popular vote. There are three types of primaries: <b>open primaries</b>, <b>closed primaries</b>, and<b> blanket primaries</b>. In open primaries, a constituent can vote for any candidate regardless of his political affiliation. States that have closed primaries allow only registered members of a political party to vote in that party’s primary. Closed primaries are much more common with approximately 40 states holding closed primaries. Alaska and Washington hold blanket primaries where candidates from both parties are listed together on a single ballot. </P> </p> <p> <P>The Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire Primary are two of the most important components of the presidential election process. During election years, presidential candidates flock to Iowa and New Hampshire in late January or early February. Through a process called frontloading—holding primaries or caucuses early in the year—Iowa and New Hampshire are regarded as “make or break” states for candidates. Candidates who do well in these two states are likely to gain momentum that can be used to generate campaign financing and support. Candidates who fare poorly in these two venues are likely to withdraw from the campaign. The media often practices <b>horserace reporting</b>, where candidates typically must finish in the top three in order to continue receiving media attention.</P> </p> <p> <P>Many critics of the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary argue that the voters and concerns of these states are not representative of America and that they play an exaggerated role in the election process. Critics also argue that elections suffer because potentially viable candidates withdraw so early in the election process. Both states have relatively small populations and less diversity than most states, but they have established themselves as important early tests for presidential candidates. <br></P> <P>Many states hold primaries or caucuses on the second Tuesday of March, called Super Tuesday. This day often produces a clear favorite and will eliminate several candidates. On Super Tuesday, candidates must establish a presence in several states simultaneously, which requires large amounts of campaign funding. After Super Tuesday a majority of unsuccessful candidates are likely to withdraw from the race and endorse the frontrunner.<br></P> <P>Critics have identified many problems and concerns with primaries and caucuses. Frontloading in Iowa and New Hampshire extends the length of the campaign and requires candidates to raise even larger sums of money. The extended campaign period also leads to voter disinterest. The primary and caucus system minimizes the significance of conventions, as candidates are essentially chosen months before. Voters in states with late primaries or caucuses can feel that the election process makes their state’s primary or caucus essentially meaningless.</P> </p> <p> <P><b>Conventions</b> are national meetings held by political parties for two reasons: establishing a party platform and candidate selection. The party that is out of power traditionally holds its convention in July, while the president’s party meets in August. A party <b>platform</b> is the set beliefs and tenets the party values and intends to emphasize during the campaign. The goal is to create consensus and unity among the different factions of the party. Often a political party will create a “plank,” an element of the platform that is often an extension of a party’s core belief intended to appease members on the party fringe. In <i>Democratic Party v. La Follette</i>, the Supreme Court ruled that parties could not force a “fringe” delegate to the national convention to support the winner of his state’s presidential primary.</P> </p> <p> <P>Candidate selection is the process of identifying presidential and vice presidential candidates. During the first ballot, delegates from each state vote for the candidate selected in their state’s primary or caucus. If the party is unable to reach a consensus decision on the first ballot, delegates are allowed to vote for any candidate on subsequent ballots. Recent nomination selections have been viewed as “nominee coronations” because candidates are identified through the primaries and caucuses. These coronations have decreased the excitement and media coverage that used to be associated with conventions. </P> </p> <p id="TextCopyright">Copyright 2006 The Regents of the University of California and Monterey Institute for Technology and Education</p>