US Politics - Elections

Stages of US Presidential elections

• 7 stages

• First 4 focus on the intra-party contest

• Final 3 are concerned on the inter-party contest

What is meant by ‘invisible primaries’?

What are the key elements of Invisible Primaries?

Stage 2

• Candidates compete in state contests in the winter + spring before the GE to gain their parties nomination

• In primaries or caucuses - a certain number of delegate are at stake

• Candidate who accumulates majority of their party delegates wins the nomination

Stage 2 - caucuses

• Local meetings often held at school gyms, town halls, + other public venues

• Financed by the 2 major parties

• Registered party members gather to discuss + express support for candidates

Stage 2 - parties caucuses

• Iowa Republicans cast a secret ballot for preferred candidates

• Iowa Democrats physically group themselves according to the candidate they support then take a tally

• Democratic candidates must attract a min. % of all the attendees to receive delegates

Stage 2 - primaries

• Conducted at regular polling stations

• Paid for by the state and run by state election officials

• Voters generally cast secret ballots

Stage 2 - types of primaries

• Closed: only voters registered with the party can participate

• Open: voters aren’t required to be registered with the party holding the primary

Stage 2 - delegates

• Party activists, local political leaders, early supporters of candidates, members of a campaign’s steering committee, long-time active members

• Pres campaigns court local + state politicians for their slates, they typically bring the support of their local constituencies

Stage 2 - delegate allocation Democrats

• Candidates generally awarded delegates on a proportional basis

  • 1/3 support = 1/3-ish delegates

Stage 2 - delegate allocation Republicans

• Some states award delegates on a proportional basis

• Some are winner-takes-all (10 in 2016)

• Others use a hybrid system

• Some (inc. Iowa) used to award no delegates but were used to assess support “beauty contests”, non-binding

  • Forced to stop in 2016

Stage 2 - Republican unpledged / unbound delegates

• Certain number of delegate slots for high ranking officials that aren’t bound to a specific candidate heading to the National Convention

• 2024: 104 unpledged : 2,365 bound

  • approx. 4%

Stage 2 - Democrat superdelegates

• Member of the national committee, all members of Congress + governors, former presidents + VPs, former Senate + House leaders, former chairs of the DNC

• Approx. 15% of total delegates

Stage 3 - Choosing VP candidates, development

• Until 1956 convention delegates chose the running mate

• 1960-1980 Pres candidate made selection, announced at convention

• 1984 D candidate Mondale announced 4 days before convention

• 1996 R started pre-convention announcement

Stage 4 - National party conventions

Stage 5 - General election campaign