From Ballotpedia A caucus is a political party gathering in which party members choose candidates for an election. At a caucus, participants may debate about the candidates; in addition, the voting process itself may not be conducted by secret ballot. Instead, caucus-goers may vote by raising hands or gathering in groups organized by preferred candidate. A
primary election, by contrast, is a state-administered election in which voters select their preferred candidates by casting secret ballots. [1] Historically, caucuses were the dominant method by which the major political parties determined their presidential nominees. Today,
caucuses are less common than primary elections. However, political parties in some states, such as Iowa, still conduct caucuses as part of the presidential nominating process. In 2016, 35 U.S. jurisdictions (including states and territories) held a presidential preference primary to allocate convention delegates to both parties’ presidential candidates. In 13 jurisdictions, both parties held caucuses where party members gathered in precinct or county meetings to vote for delegates to a state
convention that ultimately selected national convention delegates. Eight jurisdictions utilized a divided process in which one party held a primary to allocate delegates and the other conducted a caucus or convention. The Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, the governing bodies for the nation's two major parties, establish their own guidelines for the presidential nomination
process.[2][3][1] Caucuses and presidential nominations
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A political party formally nominates its presidential candidate at a national nominating convention. At this convention, state delegates select the party's nominee. Prior to the nominating convention, the states conduct presidential preference
primaries or caucuses. Generally speaking, only state-recognized parties—such as the Democratic Party and the Republican Party—conduct primaries and caucuses. These elections measure voter preference for
the various candidates and help determine which delegates will be sent to the national nominating convention.[4][5][6] The Democratic
National Committee and the Republican National Committee, the governing bodies of the nation's two major parties, establish their own guidelines for the presidential nomination process. State-level affiliates of the parties also have some say in determining rules and provisions in their own states. Individuals interested in learning more about the nomination process should contact the political parties themselves for full details. Support and
oppositionSupportIn a 2011 report, the National Conference of State Legislatures noted that party-administered caucuses are less costly than state-administered primary elections:[7]
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| When states propose a primary, they usually pay for it, so the cost of running a primary can be a determining factor in whether to hold one. It was money, at least in large measure, that caused the Washington Legislature to pull the plug on a 2012 primary. By doing so, the state saved $10 million.[8]
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| | —National Conference of State Legislatures
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Kathy O'Bradovich, writing for the Des Moines Register in 2015, argued that caucuses provide candidates that otherwise would be ignored a chance to win:[9]
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| It ensures that there is at least one place where a candidate with a compelling message has a shot at winning, regardless of money or national fame. Iowans take their responsibility seriously, informing themselves of the issues, turning out to meet candidates and expecting them to answer questions. That won't happen everywhere else.[8]
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| | —Kathy O'Bradovich
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OppositionIn a 2016 opinion piece for U.S. News and World Report, editor Pat Garofalo wrote that caucuses are "much more of a commitment" than primaries, and that this results in lower turnout. Garofalo wrote the following:[10]
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| Because coming to a caucus is much more of a commitment than casting a traditional secret ballot – both in the amount of time it takes and, for the Democratic primary in Iowa at least, having to publicly declare your allegiance – they tend to attract the most committed supporters of a candidate and only those who have the time to navigate the drawn-out process. [...] For anyone who can't afford to take several hours to caucus in the evening due to a job or parental duties or who knows
what other responsibility, too bad.[8]
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| | —Pat Garofalo
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A 2016 editorial in the Boston Globe argued that caucuses are undemocratic and should be abandoned in favor of primaries. The Boston Globe editorial board wrote the following:[11]
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| The structural and systemic flaws that characterize state caucuses work against the democratic process in a way that primaries, where polls are open longer and vote tallies are more often standardized, do not. In a caucus, voters who aren’t physically able to sit in a school gymnasium and debate the merits of their candidate with their neighbors get shut out. And obscure rules that vary from state to state governing delegate allotment and proxy balloting make for confusing
inconsistencies when tallying results.[8]
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| | —The Boston Globe
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See also- Primary election
- Delegates
- 2016 presidential
nominations: calendar and delegate rules
Footnotes- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Merriam-Webster, "Caucus,"
accessed October 29, 2015
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2012 Presidential Primary Dates and Candidate Filing Deadlines for Ballot Access," June 18, 2012
- ↑ Frontloading HQ, "The 2016 Presidential Primary Calendar," accessed September 9, 2015
- ↑ Vote Smart, "Government 101: United States Presidential Primary," accessed August 15, 2015
- ↑
The Washington Post, "Everything you need to know about how the presidential primary works," May 12, 2015
- ↑ FactCheck.org, "Caucus vs. Primary," April 8, 2008
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Primaries, Caucuses and Conventions...Oh My!" November 2011
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Note: This text is
quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Des Moines Register, "Obradovich: Iowa caucuses under
threat? Yes, always," September 30, 2015
- ↑ U.S. News and World Report, "The U.S. Has a Primary Problem," February 19, 2016
- ↑ The Boston Globe, "States should abandon caucus system for primaries," March 14, 2016
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What is a meeting of political party leaders who choose a candidate called?
Caucuses are local gatherings of voters who vote at the end of the meeting for a particular candidate. Then it moves to nominating conventions, during which political parties each select a nominee to unite behind.
What word refers to a private meeting of political party members to decide on policy or to choose candidates?
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries and political cultures.
What is the process of nomination of candidates?
make sure they are on the electoral register. ask them to sign your nomination paper. sign and fill in a consent to nomination form. complete the home address form and relevant papers.
What is a referendum question?
A referendum (PL: referendums or referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a new policy or specific law, or the referendum may be only advisory.
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