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