Selecting Presidential Candidates

Caucuses Private meeting of party leaders in which individuals are nominated by party members to be selected as the Presidential Candidate To make it more democratic caucuses now start at the local level and work up to the state level

Direct Primary Elections A state general election to select a party candidate. – Closed Primary: Held for only Party Members – Open Primary: Held for anyone A Candidate only needs a plurality of votes to win: more than any other candidate – Runoff elections decide a close primary

Petition A Petition is signed by the candidates supporters. There is a required number of signatures needed to become a candidate. Often used by Third Party Candidates

National Conventions Each party will hold a National Convention a few months before the November General Election A Convention is a Meeting of Party Delegates that will select a Party Candidate and develop a Party Platform

Party Delegates A Delegate is a person that acts as a Representative A Party Delegate is sent to the Convention to represent each voting district or county.

Selection of Delegates Delegates are selected in the Caucuses and Primaries and they must vote in accordance with the district the Delegate Represents Delegates vote in two ways according to their State – Proportional Voting: Each Delegate votes according to their district – Winner-takes-all Voting: Each Delegate votes according to who won the State