Elections · Chapter 06
What is a primary election?
A primary election is an earlier election that decides which candidate each political party will put on the general-election ballot.
Plain English
What it actually means
Primary elections happen before the general election. Voters help decide which person will represent a party in November (or in whatever general election follows).
Rules vary by state. In some states, only registered party members can vote in that party’s primary (“closed primary”). In others, any voter can choose which party’s primary to vote in on Election Day (“open primary”). A few states use other formats, such as a single combined primary where the top two finishers — regardless of party — advance.
Why this matters when voting
In many districts, the primary effectively decides who wins office, because one party tends to dominate the general election. Skipping the primary can mean missing the most decisive vote of the year.
Common questions
Follow-up questions
- When are primaries held?
- Primary dates vary by state and by office. Many federal and state primaries happen in spring or summer of the election year, while some local offices run on their own calendar.
Sources
Where this information comes from
Last updated May 10, 2026. Civic Basics chapters cite official .gov sources where possible and are reviewed for neutrality.
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What is a runoff election?