Primary Election Machinery

Primary rules, ballots and delegates decide which choices voters see in November.

1. Frame 1In a primary, voters vote before November as party rules shape which candidates reach the ballot.
2. Frame 2State and party rules decide who can participate, from open primaries to closed party-only contests and semi-open variants.
3. Frame 3The voting mechanism changes by state: secret-ballot primaries differ from caucus meetings run at local party levels.
4. Frame 4In presidential races, vote results feed delegate awards, turning local preferences into convention math for each campaign.
5. Frame 5Campaign money and delegate rules sit beside the ballot: FEC rules can apply even when delegate seekers are not federal candidates.
6. Frame 6Watch the participation rule, primary or caucus date, delegate count, party threshold, and any challenge to the result.