Primary Election System
Critical Analysis
Primary elections are are a voting process by which voters can indicate their preference for their party's candidate, or a candidate in general, in an upcoming general election. Primary elections decide who get to run in future general elections, where candidates from different parties run against each other in general elections. According to the data from the visual above, currently what are the first four states to vote in the primary election process?
More than a year before the first 2024 primary election, a Democratic National Committee panel recently voted to move forward with President Biden’s plan to drastically revamp the party’s 2024 presidential primary process. Biden wants to remove Iowa’s caucus as the leadoff in the nominating calendar — a position it has held since 1972. According to the data from the visual above, in the new proposed order, what state will be first to vote in the primary election process?
Iowa and New Hampshire have become highly influential primary states, as they have been the first two to vote. According to the data from the visual above, how do the racial/ethnic demographics of Iowa and New Hampshire compare to the rest of the country?
According to the data from the visual above, what state is the most demographically similar to the U.S.?
For general elections, federal law mandates a specific day for balloting, which is the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. However, during primary season, each state and sometimes each party does its own thing. Democrats are making South Carolina their first primary but Republicans are sticking with Iowa being first. How do you think Iowa voting first in the Republican primary will impact the Republican Party nominee for president.
Most countries do not have primaries. Why do we have primary elections anyway?
According to the data from the visual below, what tends to happen to the winner of the South Carolina primary?
What is one consequence of these very White and rural states getting so much influence in deciding our presidents?
My student, Sam said that the way our primary election system works is NOT democratic. Cite a piece of evidence to support or refute (oppose) his his claim.
My student, Isabel said that the primary system is just the way it is and wondered why we always have to mess with things that have always been the way they are. How would you respond to Isabel’s claim?
Learning Extension
Check out this fabulous VOX explainer about primary elections.