Types of Primaries


Primary elections, as means for for political parties to nominate candidates for general election, are held on behalf of the parties.The electoral college is a particular American institution.When Americans vote for Presidents and vice_presidents, they do not acctually vote fore those people , but for electors.These electors meet in their state capitals after the general election and cast votes for President and vice_President.Though electors are pledged to the candidates of their party, there is nothing in the Constitution requiring them to so vote.
There are four main types of primaries:
*Closed
*Open
*Blanket
*Run_off

Closed:
In this direct primary, those voters who are registered members of a party, may vote in that party's primary.So the important case, here is declaring party affiliation and independents can not vote.It may strengthen party unity and doesn't let other party's members to vote to nominate weak candidate for their own party's benefit.
In Semi_closed primary, even unaffiliated voters can participate in voting.Here, independents , based on the states , can privatelychoose party primary inside the voting booth or publicaly by registering withany party on Election Day.

Open:
Here, registered's party affiliation is not so important.Voters can vote in any party primary.They enter the voting booth and choose the party ballot on which they will vote in secret.This system, sometimes, let voters of opposing party, to participate and vote for the weakest candidate of the other side to increase their own party the chance of having more votes for it's candidates.This practice is known as "raiding".Each person can vote in only one primary.
Semi_open primary, is different with open primary in public announcement which the voters must declare their primary before the entering the voting booth.They request a ballot and electional officials record their choice and provid them parties access to information.

Blanket:
Voters can vote, according to this system, for one candidate.Their membership in a special party is not important.Through this syste, political party candidates can be selected.The candidates who have taken the majority of votes by party can continue to the general election.Although in open primary voters may vote for candidates, regardless of their own party registration, they must stick to one party's candidate.
In comparison with the other primaries, this system makes the voters less limited, because it doesn't limit them to select from just one party's candidates.There are some critics, however,that say it is aweakness for the system, because it reduces party loyalty.

Run_off
The ballots in this primary are not limited to one party and the top two candidates advance to general election, regardless of party affiliation.If no candidate gain the majority of votes, all candidates, except the the two with the most votes, are eliminated and a second round of voting happens.