The Nominating Process

The Constitution set up the U.S. government so a few people represent the entire nation. The voters elect, or choose, these few people. Usually the first step toward being elected is a nomination naming those who will run for office. Making nominations is the most important thing political parties do in this country. The nominating step limits the number of choices voters have. There are five ways people are nominated for political office in this country.

Self Announcement-a person who wants to run for office ( a position in the government ) can announce it. A write-in candidate is an example of someone nominated by self-announcement.

A caucus is a meeting of people who think alike about government. They meet to decide what candidate to support. The first caucuses in the 1700's were meetings of just a few important people. Then politcal parties took over. Even so, people spoke out, saying that caucuses did not represent everyone equally.

By the middle of the 1800's, conventions had replaced most caucuses. A convention is a meeting of delegates, or representatives of a political party. Usually, delegates at a local convention choose candidates for local offices. They also choose delegates to represent them at the State convention, where they choose State candidates. The local or state delegates may also choose delegates for the national convention.

Most States did away with conventions. They were unhappy that corrupt local delegates ruled the conventions. Instead, most states have turned to primaries.

In a direct primary, members of a political party hold an election to choose a candidate. Three kinds of direct primaries came about. Some direct primaries are closed Closed primaries allow only party members to vote. Most States have closed primaries. Other primaries are open primaries, in which any voter can vote

In some States a candidate must get more than half of the voters to win a primary. Otherwise, the two top vote-getters hold another primary called a runoff primary.

Primaries cost alot of money. They also bring out arguments among members of th same party. Still, primaries give voters the chance to choose their party's nominees.

To be nominated by petition, a candidate must get a certain number of voters to sign a petition, or written request. The number of signatures varies, depending on the number of people in the distruct and the position the candidate wants.