Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions

1. Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions The Road to the White House

2. Background Info • No national primary • Each state gets to decide its own rules or method: 10th Amendment • In the primary, not voting for Presidential candidates, but people who were representing those candidates, i.e. Delegates • Complex system! • State parties within each state choose form of primary or caucus • What are the different types of primaries? • When are they? Super Tuesday! • What is the purpose of primaries and caucuses?

3. Super Tuesday • As many as 10 states (including Idaho caucus) • More states can be won on this day than any other date. Why does it matter? • March 6, 2012 • Front-loading: phenomenon of states moving their primary or caucus dates forward to try to increase their influence in the nominating process: effects? • RNC incentive= 10% more delegates for late-season primary • Example is California moving from June to March

4. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7400926n

5. Delegates • “The rules for selecting delegates, which are dictated by the parties, can be dizzying—the guidelines vary not only by party, but by state, and sometimes by congressional district.” • Delegates are often party activists, local political leaders, or early supporters of a given candidate • Job Description: Cast vote & go to convention • If no clear majority is reached, they must continue voting until they do

6. Super Delegatessince 1984 • "There was a view that the Democratic party had allowed the grass roots to become too empowered and that in too many instances, people whose job it was to get Democrats elected were being shut out of the process," –McGehee • Includes elected officials, like members of Congress, and party officials • Unpledged • Super delegates in the Democratic party vs. Republican party?

7. 2,286 total delegates at RNC 2012 Most pledge to whichever candidate won their state Each state chooses 10 "at-large" delegates + 3 additional "district delegates" for each Representative that state has in the House Can earn “bonus delegates” Usually “winner take all” system Republican Party Delegates

8. Democrats’ Delegate Selection • 80% of the 4,119 delegates will arrive at the DNC having already been pledged to a specific candidate during the primaries and caucuses • More proportional allocation of delegates • Low threshold for Candidates: 15% to be entitled to a proportional number of delegates from that state

9. The Gem State (Idaho) • 32 pledged delegates to RNC • 31 delegates for Obama (out of 4022) • A look at Idaho’s pick, Bonner County, other states: http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/primaries/scorecard/statebystate/r

10. Caucus • Closed meeting of party members in each state. Delegates select the party’s choice for Presidential candidate. • 6 states • Brings early exposure to candidates and issues • Tradition • Independents are excluded • States make their determination for how their delegates are going to be chosen, and that is their right • Some people say that primaries are more democratic than caucuses, because caucuses take so much time • No such thing as absentee voting in the caucusing, but you can do absentee voting in primaries

11. The Iowa Caucus • Who: Field representatives, party chairmen, to county precinct chairmen, to national/local press, staffers, ect • What: Candidates come and interact with Iowans one-on-one with registered voters • Where: Gather in homes, gyms, schools, libraries, get together and talk/compromise • Democratic Caucusing: • Like 4 corners, they speak back and forth about the candidate they are in favor of, and try to get other people to switch their support to their group.  • 15% of the vote. • Might have to compromise and vote for your 2nd or 3rd favorite candidate • “Iowa strategy” • 1972, followed by 1976 Jimmy Carter used the Iowa strategy and the importance of caucusing there to win the election • Iowans have come to expect their “retail politicking/ mutually beneficial

13. Primary • A special election in which voters select candidates to be the party’s nominee for president in the general election • “Average” registered voters choose state’s delegates • Voter turnout is often low • Relatively inexpensive

14. Open-Primary: • Voters of any party affiliation may vote for candidates of whatever party they choose • Some states do not require a party registration at all • Voters in Party X Primary can not go vote in Party Y’s primary • Hard to enforce • Crossover voting • Voting for candidate’s whose views are most like your own • “party crashing” –Hillary Clinton (2008)

15. Closed-Primary • Only voters registered with a given party can vote in the primary • Typically independent voters are left out • Candidates cater to the “base” but the “fringe” are more motivated to turn out • Some states allow voters registered with one party to switch registration at the polls

16. Semi-Closed Primary • Independents may choose which party primary to vote in, but voters registered with a party may only vote in that party’s primary • Mostly eliminates fear of other party “raiding” another party’s election

17. Top-Two Method • All candidates, regardless of party affiliation, get put on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters then face off in the general election. • California, Louisiana, Washington, and Nebraska • “Open-Primaries”, but really like “Non-partisan primaries”