As we close in on the 2020 Presidential election, states across the country are holding their primaries to choose the next Republican and Democratic party candidate.

Presidential primaries are held every four years to begin the presidential election process. In each state, the Democratic and Republican parties hold an election to choose which Republican and which Democratic candidate will receive each state’s delegates at their respective national conventions. Parties in each state hold either a general election or a caucus to decide which candidate their state’s delegates will support.

Let’s Get Caucusing!

Caucuses are exclusive to the Democratic party and only used in Iowa, Nevada, Wyoming, and North Dakota. In order to vote, residents in those states travel to a caucus center within their voting district. Once voters arrive, they enter a large room where signs for each democratic candidate are posted in different sections of the room. The voters then stand in each section corresponding to which candidate they’re “voting” for.

Once the period of time for voters to enter caucus is over, each candidate’s group is counted and compared as a percentage of the total number of voters present at the caucus. If a candidate’s group has less than 15% of the total number of voters, their group is disqualified and must join the groups of other candidates.

Once all of the groups hold more than 15% of the votes, the final percentages of each group are taken. These percentages then choose what proportion of the voting district’s delegates will vote for their specific democratic candidate at the state convention. For example, if 60% of a caucus chooses Bernie Sanders and 40% chooses Elizabeth Warren and the voting district has 10 delegates, then Bernie receives six delegates and Warren receives four at the state convention.

This process takes place in voting districts across the state. Once all of the caucuses are closed, the delegates from each district are counted at the state national convention. Whichever candidate receives the most delegates then receives that state’s delegates at the national convention. For example, since Pete Buttigieg won the Iowa Caucus he receives all 41 of Iowa’s delegates at the national convention.

Primary Elections

The primary process occurs much like any other election and is used by both the Democratic party in states that don’t use a caucus system and by the Republican party in all states. During a primary, voters go to their polling station and select a candidate. The results are then tallied up across the state and whichever candidate receives the popular vote receives the state’s delegates at the national convention.

The Convention

The national conventions take place at the end of the primary season. Every election cycle, the parties hold their conventions in different cities across the country. This year the Democratic National Convention (DNC) will be in Milwaukee, WI July 13-16, and the Republican National Convention (RNC) is in Charlotte, NC August 24-27.

Primaries and caucuses take place throughout a primary “season” but do not occur all at the same time. The Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary are the first and as a result receive extensive media coverage. These primaries often influence the outcomes of the following primaries since voters view the winners of the first two primaries as the most “electable” or “probable” candidate to win.

2020 Election

The Iowa Caucus took place February 3, the New Hampshire primary February 11, and the Nevada Caucus February 22. Amidst controversy, Pete Buttigieg won the Iowa caucus and Bernie Sanders won the New Hampshire Primary and Nevada Caucus. Donald Trump won the Republican primaries in all three states.

Pennsylvania’s primary takes place April 28. Make sure to register to vote and take your place in the democratic process as soon as you turn 18!