Direct Primaries

Definition

Direct primaries are elections held by political parties to decide their candidate for a general election. Voters directly select candidates who will run on the party ticket.

Analogy

Imagine if before playing a big football game, each team had its own mini-game where they decided who would be their starting quarterback. That’s what direct primaries are like for political parties.

Related terms

Closed Primary: A type of primary election where only registered members of a particular political party can vote. It's like having an exclusive club meeting where only members can participate.

Open Primary: An open primary is an election that does not require voters to be affiliated with a political party in order to vote for partisan candidates. It’s akin to an open house event, anyone interested can come and participate regardless of their affiliation.

Caucus: A caucus is a meeting at which local members of a political party register their preference among candidates running for office. It's like a team huddle where the game plan is discussed and decided.