Closed Primary

A closed primary is a type of primary election whereby electors can only participate in the election if they have been registered to that party for a period of time.

The rules for closed primaries vary hugely by state, and it is important to remember that not all states use closed primaries as a way of choosing candidates. In some states, only one party will opt for a closed primary system. This is true of the Democrats in West Virginia and Republicans in Utah.

Primaries are not simply used for Presidential Races, which is undoubtedly where they are most well known, they are used for all sorts of electoral races, from congressional races through to elections to the local school board.

Below is a selection of states which use closed primaries;

Arizona, California, DC, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey South Dakota, and Wyoming.

This list is not exhaustive, but it could be useful if you remembered a few to illustrate any exam answers