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Lesson 12 min 20 XP

Primary Elections & Candidate Selection

How parties choose who runs under their banner, from smoke-filled rooms to open primaries to party lists.

From Smoke-Filled Rooms to Open Primaries

Candidate selection is one of the most important functions parties perform, yet it varies dramatically. At one extreme, party leaders select candidates in closed meetings (historically described as 'smoke-filled rooms'). At the other, open primary elections allow any citizen to help choose a party's candidate. Between these extremes are closed primaries (only party members vote), selectorate votes (a broader membership or delegate body), and centralized list placement (party leadership determines list order in PR systems).

The United States is unique in the extent of its primary system. Every major candidate for Congress, governor, and president must win a primary election. This was a Progressive Era reform (early 1900s) designed to break the power of party bosses. Most other democracies give party organizations much more control over candidate selection, though the trend toward open selection is spreading.