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Primary election

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Primary election
Primary elections by state
Closed primary
Open primary
Semi-closed primary
Top-two primary
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Alternative nomination means
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Primary elections allow voters to determine which candidates compete in the general election and can be nonpartisan or partisan. In partisan primaries, voters choose the candidates they prefer for a political party to nominate in the general election.

The laws governing primary elections vary from state to state and can even vary within states by locality and political party. For example, only registered party members are allowed to vote in closed primaries, while registered party members and unaffiliated voters are allowed to vote in semi-closed primaries, and all voters are allowed to vote in open primaries.

Primary elections also vary by the way their outcomes are determined. Majority systems require the winning candidate to receive at least fifty percent of the votes cast, while plurality systems do not. In top-two primaries, top-four primaries, and blanket primaries, all candidates are listed on the same ballot, regardless of partisan affiliation.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • In 19 states, at least one political party conducts open primaries for congressional and state-level offices.
  • In 23 states and the District of Columbia, at least one political party conducts closed primaries for congressional and state-level offices.
  • In 12 states, at least one political party conducts semi-closed primaries for congressional and state-level offices.
  • In 5 states, top-two primaries or a variation are used. These state primaries are considered a separate entity and are not included in the totals for open, closed, or semi-closed primaries.


    • Top-two primary systems, such as those utilized in California, Nebraska, and Washington, and variations of those systems, such as the top-four system used in Alaska and the majority-vote system used in Louisiana, are sometimes classified as open primary systems because voter participation in such primaries is not tied to partisan affiliation. For the purposes of this article, these primaries are considered to be a separate entity. For more information about top-two primaries and their variations, see this article.

    See the sections below for general information on the use of primary elections in the United States:

    • Background
      This section outlines the different types of primary participation models used in the United States, and details the methods employed to determine the outcomes of primaries.
      Read more
    • Primary types in use
      Primary types currently in use by the Democratic and Republican parties in the 50 states and D.C.
      Read more
    • Primary laws by state
      State laws that dictate who may participate in primaries and how they are won
      Read more


    Background

    An "I Voted" sticker.

    In general, there are two broad criteria by which primary elections can vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction:

    1. Rules of participation: In jurisdictions that conduct partisan primaries, who can vote in a party's primary? Is participation limited to registered party members, or can other eligible voters (such as unaffiliated voters or voters belonging to other parties) participate? In general, there are three basic types of primary election participation models: open primaries, closed primaries, and semi-closed primaries. Several states also use a top-two primary or a variant of that system.

    2. Vote requirements: What share of the total votes cast does a candidate have to receive in order to advance to the general election? Methods for determining primary election outcomes include plurality voting systems ans majority voting systems. Two states, California and Washington, use top-two primaries, while one, Alaska, uses a top-four primary. Both are plurality systems. Maine use ranked-choice voting for some primaries, which is a majority system.


    Primary types in use

    Because not every state's laws specifies the type of primary that political parties must conduct, the primary types that parties actually use fit into a different categorization and may vary by party within a state. See below for a breakdown of the requirements of state laws.

    In 40 states, both the Democratic or Republican parties use an open, closed, or semi-closed primary. In seven states, the parties operate different types of primary. In three states—Alaska, California, and Washington—there were no partisan primaries for congressional and state-level offices.

    As of September 2025, the Democratic Party used:

    • Open primaries in 18 states
    • Closed primaries in 16 states
    • Semi-closed primaries in 14 states

    The Republican Party used:

    • Open primaries in 15 states
    • Closed primaries in 23 states
    • Semi-closed primaries in nine states

    Open primaries

    See also: Open primary

    In 19 states, at least one political party conducts open primaries for congressional and state-level offices. The map and table below identify states in which at least one political party uses open primaries for congressional and state-level elections. Hover over a state for additional details.

    States where at least one political party uses open primaries for congressional and state-level elections
    State Open primaries Notes
    Alabama Yes Alabama voters may participate in any party's primary by declaring their preference for that party at the polls on the day of the primary.[1]
    Arkansas Yes Arkansas state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. Both the Democratic and Republican parties operate an open primary.
    Georgia Yes  
    Hawaii Yes  
    Idaho Democratic Party Idaho state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Democratic Party operates an open primary.
    Kansas Democratic Party Kansas state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Democratic Party operates an open primary.
    Michigan Yes  
    Minnesota Yes  
    Mississippi Yes  
    Missouri Yes  
    Montana Yes  
    Nebraska Democratic Party Primary participation rules in Nebraska vary by office type. State law grants parties discretion to determine participation rules for primaries whose rules are not otherwise set by state law. The Democratic Party operates an open primary for these offices. Regardless of party rules, an unaffiliated voter is allowed to vote in the primary of their choice for the office of United States Senator or United States Representative.
    North Dakota Yes  
    South Carolina Yes  
    Texas Yes  
    Utah Democratic Party Utah state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Democratic Party operates an open primary.
    Vermont Yes  
    Virginia Yes  
    Wisconsin Yes  

    Closed primaries

    See also: Closed primary

    In 23 states, at least one political party conducts closed primaries for congressional and state-level offices. The map and table below identify states in which at least one political party uses closed primaries for congressional and state-level elections. Hover over a state for additional details.

    States where at least one political party uses closed primaries for congressional and state-level elections
    State Closed primaries Notes
    Connecticut Yes Connecticut state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. Both the Democratic and Republican parties operate a closed primary.[2]
    Delaware Yes  
    Florida Yes  
    Idaho Republican Party Idaho state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Republican Party operates a closed primary.
    Illinois Yes A voter must declare their affiliation at the polls to vote a partisan primary ballot. However, any voter is able to choose their affiliation at the polls on the day of the primary. Their ballot choice may be considered as registering with that party.[3]

    Although state law requires voters to be affiliated to vote in a partisan primary, Illinois does not record a voter's affiliation as part of their registration record.
    Indiana Yes State law stipulates that, in order to participate in a party's primary, a voter must have either voted for a majority of that party's nominees in the last general election or must intend to vote for a majority of the party's nominees in the upcoming general election.[4]

    Although state law requires voters to be affiliated to vote in a partisan primary, Indiana does not record a voter's affiliation as part of their registration record.
    Iowa Yes Iowa law stipulates that only registered party members can vote in a party's primary, however Section 43.42 of the Iowa Code stipulates that a voter may change his or her party affiliation at the polls on primary day and vote in the primary of a party other than the one to which he or she formerly belonged.[5][6]

    Although state law requires voters to be affiliated to vote in a partisan primary, Iowa does not record a voter's affiliation as part of their registration record.
    Kansas Republican Party Kansas state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Republican Party operates an closed primary.
    Kentucky Yes  
    Maryland Yes Maryland state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. Both the Democratic and Republican parties operate a closed primary.
    Nebraska Republican Party Primary participation rules in Nebraska vary by office type. State law grants parties discretion to determine participation rules for primaries whose rules are not otherwise set by state law. The Republican Party operates a closed primary for these offices. Regardless of party rules, an unaffiliated voter is allowed to vote in the primary election of their choice for the office of United States Senator or United States Representative.
    Nevada Yes  
    New York Yes  
    New Jersey Yes A previously unaffiliated voter can participate in the primary of his or her choice by affiliating with a party on the day of the election. Otherwise, a voter must indicate his or her party preference (e.g., via an updated voter registration) no later than the 55th day preceding the primary in order to vote in that party's primary.
    Ohio Yes State law requires a voter to be affiliated with a party to vote in that party's primary, however a voter of any affiliation can choose the ballot they would like to vote on the day of the primary and their choice may be regarded as registration with that party.

    Although state law requires voters to be affiliated to vote in a partisan primary, Ohio does not record a voter's affiliation as part of their registration record.
    Oklahoma Republican Party Oklahoma state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Republican Party operates a closed primary.
    Oregon Yes Oregon state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. Both the Democratic and Republican parties operate a closed primary.
    Pennsylvania Yes  
    South Dakota Republican Party South Dakota state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Republican Party operates a closed primary.
    Tennessee Yes State law requires a voter to be a "bona fide member of and affiliated with the political party" to vote in a party's primary.[7]

    Although state law requires voters to be affiliated to vote in a partisan primary, Tennessee does not record a voter's affiliation as part of their registration record.
    Utah Republican Party Utah state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Republican Party operates a closed primary.
    West Virginia Republican Party West Virginia state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Republican Party operates a closed primary.
    Wyoming Yes  

    Semi-closed primaries

    See also: Semi-closed primary

    In 12 states, at least one political party conducts semi-closed primaries for congressional and state-level offices. The map and table below identify states in which at least one political party uses semi-closed primaries for congressional and state-level elections. Hover over a state for additional details.

    States where at least one political party uses semi-closed primaries for congressional and state-level elections
    State Semi-closed primaries Notes
    Arizona Yes  
    Colorado Yes  
    Louisiana Yes Primary participation rules in Louisiana vary by office type. Beginning in 2026, Louisiana will use a semi-closed primary for congress, justice of the supreme court, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Public Service Commission. For all other statewide offices—including state senator and representative—Louisiana will continue to use the Louisiana majority-vote system.
    Maine Yes  
    Massachusetts Yes  
    New Hampshire Yes  
    New Mexico Yes  
    North Carolina Yes  
    Oklahoma Democratic Party Oklahoma state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Democratic Party operates a semi-closed primary.
    Rhode Island Yes  
    South Dakota Democratic Party South Dakota state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Democratic Party operates a semi-closed primary.
    West Virginia Democratic Party West Virginia state law gives parties discretion to determine participation rules. The Democratic Party operates a semi-closed primary.


    Top-two primaries and their variants

    See also: Top-two primary, Blanket primary, and Top-four primary

    The map and chart below identify states that utilize top-two primary elections or a variation. Hover over a state on the map for additional details.

    States where at least one political party uses top-two style primaries for congressional and state-level elections
    State Top-two primary or variant Statute Notes
    California Top-two California Constitution Article II, Section 5 California uses a top-two primary where candidates from all parties appear on the same primary ballot. The top two finishers move on to the general election.
    Louisiana Varies by office (Semi-closed & top-two variant) La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 18:401, 18:511, 18:410.3 Primary participation rules in Louisiana vary by office type. Beginning in 2026, Louisiana will use a semi-closed primary for congress, justice of the supreme court, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Public Service Commission. For all other statewide offices—including state senator and representative—Louisiana will continue to use the Louisiana majority-vote system.
    Nebraska Varies by office (Party discretion, semi-closed, & top-two) Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 32–912 & 508 Primary type varies by office. State legislative primaries use a non-partisan top-two system. Congressional primaries are partisan, but any voter may vote in the congressional primary of their choice. For all other statewide offices, a state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote their primary ballot. Unaffiliated voters can also choose to vote a "non-partisan partisan ballot" on the day of the election which allows them to vote for any elective office that a party decides to include on that ballot. A voter can change their affiliation up until the second Friday before the election.
    Washington Top-two Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.52.112 Washington uses a top-two primary where candidates from all parties appear on the same primary ballot. The top two finishers move on to the general election.

    Primary laws by state

    Each state has laws that either stipulate which voters can participate in primaries, or that allow parties to choose who may vote in their primaries. The categories a state's primary laws may fall in to are:

    • Open: State law says that anyone can vote in this primary, regardless of partisan affiliation. There are no affiliation requirements before or after the primary.
    • Closed: State law says a voter must be affiliated with a political party to participate in its primary. Note: It may still be possible for a voter to affiliate or change affiliation on the day of the primary in some states with closed primaries.
    • Semi-closed: State law says that voters who are not affiliated with a political party may participate in the partisan primary of their choice while retaining their status as an unaffiliated voter.
    • Top-two or variation: State law says that all registered voters vote in the same primary, and all candidates are listed on the same ballot.
    • Party discretion: State law permits parties to choose participation rules for their primaries.

    In 39 states, laws specify that major parties must hold an open, closed, semi-closed, or top-two style primary for most congressional and state offices. In 11 states, laws permit parties to choose between at least two possible primary types for most primaries.[8] In some cases, a state's laws may specify that parties conduct closed primaries where a voter must be affiliated with the party to participate, but the voter may be able to affiliate at the time of voting. Click here to see primary participation details for each state.

    Of the 39 states where state law specifies a single primary type for most or all state and congressional offices:

    As of September 2025:
  • Fourteen require open primaries.
  • Thirteen require closed primaries.
  • Nine require semi-closed primaries.
  • Three require top-two style primaries for all offices.


    • Of the 11 states where parties have discretion to choose between primary types:

    As of September 2025:
  • In one state, both the Democratic and Republican parties hold open primaries.
  • In three states, both the Democratic and Republican parties hold closed primaries.
  • In four states, the Democratic party holds an open primary and the Republican party holds a closed primary.
  • In three states, the Democratic party holds a semi-closed primary and the Republican party holds a closed primary.



    • Open primaries
    Closed primaries
    Semi-closed primaries
    Top-two primaries and variants
    Party discretion


    State primary laws
    State Primary type specified by law Statute Notes
    Alabama Open Ala. Code 17-13-7 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in. A voter is bound to the party they voted for in case of a run-off primary.
    Alaska Top-four Alaska Stat. § 15.25.010 Alaska uses a top-four primary where candidates from all parties appear on the same primary ballot. The top four finishers move on to the general election.
    Arizona Semi-closed Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 16–467 A voter previously affiliated with a party who wants to change their affiliation must re-register by the 29th day before the primary.
    Arkansas Party discretion Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7–7–307 Organized political parties prescribe the qualifications of their own membership and the qualifications for voting in their party primaries. Both parties run open primaries. A voter is bound to the party they voted for in case of a run-off primary.
    California Top-two California Constitution Article II, Section 5 California uses a top-two primary where candidates from all parties appear on the same primary ballot. The top two finishers move on to the general election.
    Colorado Semi-closed Colo. Rev. Stat. § 1–7–201 A voter previously affiliated with a party who wants to change their affiliation must do so by the 22nd day before the primary.
    Connecticut Party discretion Conn. Gen. Stat. § 9–431 A state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote for some or all offices. If a voter is not affiliated with any party, they can join a party in person up until noon on the day prior to the primary. A voter previously affiliated with a party cannot vote in any partisan primary election for 3 months after their affiliation is changed.
    Delaware Closed Del. Code Ann. tit. 15, § 3110 To vote in a partisan primary, a voter must affiliate with that party any time before the last Saturday in May before the primary.
    Florida Closed Fla. Stat. § 101.021 To vote in a partisan primary, a voter must affiliate with a party 29 days before the primary.
    Georgia Open Ga. Code 21-2-224 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in. A voter is bound to the party they voted for in case of a run-off primary.
    Hawaii Open Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 12–31 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    Idaho Party discretion Idaho Code § 34–904A A state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters or voters affiliated with another party to vote their ballot. Regardless of what a party decides, a previously unaffiliated voter can affiliate on the day of the primary. A voter previously affiliated with a party who wants to change their affiliation or become unaffiliated must do so no later than the twelfth Friday before the primary.
    Illinois Closed Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 10, § 5/7–44 A voter must declare their affiliation at the polls to vote a partisan primary ballot. However, any voter is able to choose their affiliation at the polls on the day of the primary. Their ballot choice may be considered as registering with that party.
    Indiana Closed Ind. Code § 3–10–1–6 State law says that voters can only vote in a party's primary if they voted for a majority of that party’s candidates in the last general election or plan to in the upcoming election, thereby requiring affiliation. However, it is possible for any voter to vote in any party's primary so long as they meet this criteria.
    Iowa Closed Iowa Code § 43.42 Any voter can affiliate or change their affiliation on the day of the primary, however state law requires the voter to be affiliated with a party to vote in its primary.
    Kansas Party discretion Kan. Stat. Ann. § 25–3301 A state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote their ballot. However, unaffiliated voters can affiliate on the day of a primary election. A previously affiliated voter may change their affiliation up until noon on June 1 before a primary.
    Kentucky Closed Ky. Rev. Stat. § 116.055 A voter must affiliate with a party by December 31 preceding a primary election to vote in a partisan primary.
    Louisiana Varies by office (Semi-closed & top-two variant) La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 18:401, 18:511, 18:410.3 Primary type varies by office. Beginning in 2026, Louisiana will use a semi-closed primary for congress, justice of the supreme court, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Public Service Commission. For all other statewide offices—including state senator and representative—Louisiana will continue to use the Louisiana majority-vote system.
    Maine Semi-closed Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 21–A, § 340 Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary of their choice. An affiliated voter may change their affiliation up to 15 days prior to a primary. A voter must remain affiliated with a party for at least 3 months before they can withdraw or change their affiliation.
    Maryland Party discretion Md. Election Code Ann. § 8–202 A state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters or voters affiliated with another party to vote their ballot. A voter can affiliate or change their affiliation up until the 21st day prior to a primary election.
    Massachusetts Semi-closed Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 53, § 38 Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary of their choice. A voter can change their affiliation up until the 10th day prior to a primary.
    Michigan Open Mich. Comp. Laws 168.531 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    Minnesota Open Minn. Stat. § 204D.08 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    Mississippi Open Miss. Code Ann. § 23–15–575 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in. A voter is bound to the party they voted for in case of a run-off primary.
    Missouri Open Mo. Rev. Stat. § 115.397 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    Montana Open Mont. Code Ann. § 13–10–301 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    Nebraska Varies by office (Party discretion, semi-closed, & top-two) Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 32–912 & 508 Primary type varies by office. State legislative primaries use a non-partisan top-two system. Congressional primaries are partisan, but any voter may vote in the congressional primary of their choice. For all other statewide offices, a state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote their primary ballot. Unaffiliated voters can also choose to vote a "non-partisan partisan ballot" on the day of the election which allows them to vote for any elective office that a party decides to include on that ballot. A voter can change their affiliation up until the second Friday before the election.
    Nevada Closed Nev. Rev. Stat. § 293.287 A voter must be affiliated with a party to participate in their primary. However, a voter can affiliate or change party affiliation on day of the primary.
    New Hampshire Semi-closed N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 659:14 & 654:34 Unaffiliated voters can vote in the primary of their choice and leave the polling place without a party affiliation. Previously affiliated voters must change their registration before the first Wednesday of June before a primary.
    New Jersey Closed N.J. Rev. Stat. § 19:23–45 An unaffiliated voter can affiliate on the day of the primary and vote in the primary of their choice. They are then considered registered with that party and must change their affiliation before voting in another party's primary.
    New Mexico Semi-closed N.M. Stat. Ann. § 1–12–7 Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary of their choice. If a voter is affiliated with a major party they may change their affiliation by the 28th day before the primary to vote in a different party's primary.
    New York Closed N.Y. Election Law § 17–102 A voter has until February 14th before a primary to change or affiliate with a party.
    North Carolina Semi-closed N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 163–59 & 163–119 Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary of their choice. A voter may change their party affiliation up until the 25th days prior to the primary.
    North Dakota Open N.D. Cent. Code § 16.1–11–22 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    Ohio Closed Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3513.19 State law requires a voter to be affiliated with a party to vote in that party's primary, however a voter of any affiliation can choose the ballot they would like to vote on the day of the primary and their choice may be regarded as registration with that party.
    Oklahoma Party discretion Okla. Stat. tit. 26, § 1–104 A state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote their ballot. A voter may change their party affiliation at any time except from April 1 to August 31 in even-numbered years.
    Oregon Party discretion Or. Rev. Stat. § 254.365 A state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote their ballot. A votermay change their affiliation up until the 20th day before a primary.
    Pennsylvania Closed Pa. Stat. tit. 25, § 299 A voter has until 15 days prior to a primary to affiliate or change their affiliation with a party and vote in that party's primary.
    Rhode Island Semi-closed R.I. Gen. Laws § 17–15–24 Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary of their choice. A voter who wishes to change their affiliation and vote in another party's primary must do so at least 30 days prior to the primary.
    South Carolina Open S.C. Code Ann. § 7–9–20 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    South Dakota Party discretion S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 12–6–26 A state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote their ballot. A voter has until 15 days prior to the primary to affiliate with a party or change their affiliation.
    Tennessee Closed Tenn. Code Ann. § 2–7–115 Although voters do not register with a party affiliation, state law requires a voter to be a "bona fide member of and affiliated with the political party" to vote in a party's primary.
    Texas Open Tex. Election Code Ann. § 172.086 A voter can become affiliated with a party by voting in a party's primary election. That voter cannot then become affiliated with another political party during that year. Party affiliation automatically expires at the end of the year. In case of a run-off primary, a voter is bound to the party whose ballot they voted in the primary.
    Utah Party discretion Utah Code Ann. § 20A–9–403 A state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters or voters affiliated with another party to vote their ballot. Unaffiliated voters can affiliate on the day of the election. In even-numbered years when a presidential election is held, the deadline to change party affiliation for a voter who was affiliated with a party previously is the day after the declaration of candidacy deadline. In even-numbered years when a presidential election will not be held, the deadline to change party affiliation is April 1.
    Vermont Open 17 V.S.A. § 2363 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    Virginia Open Va. Code § 24.2–530 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    Washington Top-two Wash. Rev. Code § 29A.52.112 Washington uses a top-two primary where candidates from all parties appear on the same primary ballot. The top two finishers move on to the general election.
    West Virginia Party discretion W. Va. Code § 3–4A–20 A state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters or voters affiliated with another party to vote their ballot. The deadline to change political party affiliation is 21 days prior to the primary.
    Wisconsin Open Wis. Stat. § 5.62 There is no partisan registration and any voter may select one party's primary to participate in.
    Wyoming Closed Wyo. Stat. § 22–5–209 et seq. An elector has until the 96th day before a primary to affiliate or change their party affiliation.


    Primary runoff elections

    See also: Runoff election

    In 41 of the 50 states, the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes in a primary election is considered the winner, even if he or she does not win more than 50 percent of votes cast. In the 10 states identified in the map and table below, a candidate must win a majority of votes cast (that is, more than 50 percent) in order to win a primary. In these states, if no candidate reaches that threshold, a primary runoff election is held. See the map and table below for further details. Unless otherwise specified, the states identified below conduct primary runoffs if no candidate, regardless of the office being sought, wins an outright majority of the votes cast.[9]

    States in which primary runoff elections are held
    State Notes
    Alabama  
    Arkansas  
    Georgia  
    Mississippi  
    North Carolina In North Carolina primaries, if no candidate receives at least 30 percent of the vote, a runoff election (also referred to as a second primary) can be requested in writing.[10][11]
    Oklahoma  
    South Carolina  
    South Dakota According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, "a runoff is held only for the offices of U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, or governor. This is called a 'secondary' election. If, in a primary race involving three or more candidates, no candidate receives 35 percent of the vote, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes move to a secondary election."
    Texas  

    Recent legislation related to primaries

    The table below includes state legislation related to primaries introduced during (or carried over to) the current year's legislative session. The following information is included for each bill:

    • State
    • Bill number
    • Official bill name or caption
    • Most recent action date
    • Legislative status
    • Sponsor party
    • Topics dealt with by the bill

    Bills are organized by state and then by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

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    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed July 23, 2025
    2. ↑ General Statutes of Connecticut, "Section 9-431," accessed July 24, 2025
    3. ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 10, § 5/7–44," accessed July 15, 2025
    4. ↑ Indiana General Assembly, Ind. Code § 3–10–1–6," accessed July 24, 2025
    5. ↑ Iowa Legislature, "Iowa Code § 43.42," accessed July 24, 2025
    6. ↑ Iowa Legislature, "Iowa Code § 43.38," accessed July 24, 2025
    7. ↑ LexisNexis, "Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-7-115," accessed July 25, 2025
    8. ↑ In Louisiana and Nebraska participation rules change depending on the office up for election. Beginning in 2026, Louisiana will use a semi-closed primary for congress, justice of the supreme court, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Public Service Commission. For all other statewide offices—including state senator and representative—Louisiana will continue to use theLouisiana majority-vote system. In Nebraska, state legislative primaries use a non-partisan top-two system. Congressional primaries are partisan, but any voter may vote in the congressional primary of their choice. For all other statewide offices, a state party can determine if it will allow unaffiliated voters to vote their primary ballot. Unaffiliated voters can also choose to vote a "non-partisan partisan ballot" on the day of the election which allows them to vote for any elective office that a party decides to include on that ballot.
    9. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Primary Runoffs," July 11, 2022
    10. ↑ Justia, "2022 North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 163 - Elections and Election Laws, Article 10 - Primary Elections. § 163-111 - Determination of primary results; second primaries," accessed September 1, 2023
    11. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ncslprimaries

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