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Political party pre-primary endorsements and designations
From Ballotpedia
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A primary election is an election used either to narrow the field of candidates for a given elective office or to determine the nominees for political parties in advance of a general election. In a partisan primary, voters select a candidate to be a political party's nominee for a given office in the corresponding general election. In some states, political parties can endorse or designate primary election candidates. In some cases, this means that a party's endorsement of a particular candidate will be noted alongside the candidate's name on the ballot. In other cases, it means that a political party can directly nominate a candidate to the primary ballot, usually via party meeting (e.g., caucus, convention, etc.).
This article identifies those states that provide for political party pre-primary endorsements or designations.[1][2]
Primary election types by state
The map and table below identify those states in which political parties have pre-primary endorsement or designation processes.
| State | Is there a pre-primary party endorsement or designation process for candidates? |
|---|---|
| Alabama | No |
| Alaska | No |
| Arizona | No |
| Arkansas | No |
| California | No |
| Colorado | Under Colorado law, assemblies may place up to two candidates per office on the primary election ballot. Candidates designated for the ballot by an assembly are not required to petition for placement on the primary election ballot.[3] |
| Connecticut | Connecticut law allows political parties to endorse candidates at conventions prior to primary elections. In the event that another candidate not endorsed by the party files for the party's nomination for a given office, a primary election must be held.[4] |
| Delaware | No |
| Florida | No |
| Georgia | No |
| Hawaii | No |
| Idaho | No |
| Illinois | No |
| Indiana | No |
| Iowa | No |
| Kansas | No |
| Kentucky | No |
| Louisiana | N/A |
| Maine | No |
| Maryland | No |
| Massachusetts | No |
| Michigan | No |
| Minnesota | No |
| Mississippi | No |
| Missouri | No |
| Montana | No |
| Nebraska | No |
| Nevada | No |
| New Hampshire | No |
| New Jersey | No |
| New Mexico | Convention designations are available to candidates for statewide office or U.S. representative.[5] |
| New York | Party designations can be made by a party's state committee.[6] |
| North Carolina | No |
| North Dakota | A candidate can be added to the primary ballot via an endorsement from the political party's convention.[7] |
| Ohio | No |
| Oklahoma | No |
| Oregon | No |
| Pennsylvania | No |
| Rhode Island | No |
| South Carolina | No |
| South Dakota | No |
| Tennessee | No |
| Texas | No |
| Utah | An individual can become a primary candidate by being nominated at a party's convention.[8] |
| Vermont | No |
| Virginia | No |
| Washington | No |
| West Virginia | No |
| Wisconsin | No |
| Wyoming | No |
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff compiled this information after consulting the relevant state statutes and election agencies.
- ↑ Louisiana utilizes a two-round electoral system in which the names of all eligible candidates are printed on the general election ballot. If a candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote in the general election, he or she is elected. If no candidate wins an outright majority in the general election, a runoff election is held between the top two vote-getters. This system is sometimes referred to as a jungle primary or majority electoral system. Because it is possible for a candidate to win election in the first round of voting, Louisiana is not categorized by the primary election types listed below.
- ↑ Colorado Revised Statutes, "Section 1-4-102," accessed August 9, 2018
- ↑ Connecticut Statutes, "Section 9-382," accessed August 9, 2018
- ↑ New Mexico Statutes, "Section 1-8-21.1," accessed August 9, 2018
- ↑ New York Election Law, "Section 6-104," accessed August 9, 2018
- ↑ North Dakota Statutes, "Section 16.1-11-09," accessed August 9, 2018
- ↑ Utah Code, "Section 20A-9-407," accessed August 9, 2018
