Thinking Ahead: Presidential Primaries Already a Focus

Have you ever wondered how the electoral system helps some candidates and discourages others? How do primaries and caucuses work anyways? And what’s at stake?

A high-powered Democratic committee recently decided to make some changes to the party’s nomination process, adding four state primaries and caucuses to the start of the primary season.

What are primaries and caucuses?

Primary basics

- Presidential primaries are a relatively recent phenomenon. Not making an appearance until the 20th century, they are hardly a deep-rooted tradition in presidential elections.

- In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, voters complained that nominations were made by party bosses in "smoke-filled rooms." Presidential primaries were thus introduced to give voters a voice in the nomination process. (Whether or not primaries accomplish this is debatable.)

- Primaries allow voters to go to the polls and select their choice. However, they do not directly nominate the candidate. Rather, the outcome of the primary designates delegates who then vote at the national convention.

- There are both open and closed primaries. In an open primary, any voter can vote for any candidate in any party. In a closed primary, a voter must vote within her party.

Are primaries valuable?

Critics claim that primaries divide party constituents along ideological lines, that they cannot produce a national consensus, and that they unjustifiably deplete valuable funds and energy from the candidates.

Primary defenders argue that regardless of the expense, they give voters a chance to influence a party’s nomination. They claim that if the nomination is left up to party leaders, voters may end up with substandard nominees in the general election. Further, proponents claim that primaries force candidates to prove their worthiness - a candidate’s stamina, skill, and ability to deal with pressure all come out in the primary campaign.

Although primaries exist to empower voters, voter turnout for presidential primaries is quite low, usually around twenty percent of registered voters. Although a small number of voters participate in the primary, even fewer participate in caucuses, which are the alternative to primaries.

Caucus basics

The purpose of the caucus is equal to that of the primary: to give voters the chance to have a say in the nomination of presidential candidates. The difference is that party caucuses are usually held in meeting spaces or private homes and voters express their nominee preference verbally. Sometimes, caucus participants put the name of their preferred candidate into a hat and the results are sent to party headquarters.

All registered voters are invited to attend caucuses, though the voter must be willing to sign a statement that promises her affiliation with the party and that she will not participate in other parties’ caucuses.

Very few people participate in caucuses, perhaps because they are not widely advertised and discussed. But caucuses are especially important in the states where primaries have been cancelled. To participate in a caucus, contact your favorite party’s state headquarters.

What Democrats decided

The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee decided to shake up their primary and caucus schedule in order to give different kinds of candidates a chance.

When the committee voted, only the representative from New Hampshire objected, probably because the new system would take away power from New Hampshire residents who have traditionally had a lot of influence.

But to the other members on the committee, that was precisely the point. They say that they want more diversity among candidates, and New Hampshire’s foothold in the primary prevents that. Since New Hampshire is the first state on the primary schedule, its voters set the tone for the election. The committee figures that since New Hampshire is small and homogenous, it doesn’t represent the Democratic Party.

Therefore, the committee decided to allow two states to hold caucuses after Iowa but before New Hampshire, although New Hampshire would still be the first to hold a primary. In addition, two states would hold primaries after New Hampshire but before the start of the formal primary season on February 5th. They hope that this system would allow more people to participate and result in a more diverse group of candidates.

The committee still has to turn these ideas into specific rules, but agreeing to the schedule has brought them closer to change.

What do you think?

Do you agree that presidential candidates need to be more diverse? Do you think the Democratic Party is on the right track with these changes? Do you vote in the primary?

Voting in the primary is a powerful way to affect the presidency. And that’s the place to vote for the candidate instead of the party. Because once the general election comes around, you have to decide which party’s philosophy most closely matches your own.

Your input matters

Your representatives in Congress DO care what you think. Especially now -- 2006 is an election year and many representatives will be looking to reconnect with their constituents. Let your congressmen and women know what you think! Give your senators a piece of your mind! To find your reps, click here.

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Update Posted on: 3/25/2006