42 Republicans and 36 Democrats

Narrowing the Field Hagel Richardson Gore Giuliani Clinton Dodd Thompson Obama McCain Paul T. Tompson Edwards Biden Kucinich

Narrowing the Field 2012 Obama Rick Santorum Nwet Gingrich Mitt Romney Ron Paul

Narrowing the Field 2016

Early Primaries and Caucuses Super Tuesday-2/5 All the Rest 2/9 Nebraska (33/31) 2/10 Maine (21/34) 2/12 District of Colombia (19/37) 2/12 Maryland (37/99) 2/12 Virginia (63/103) 2/19 Minnesota (41/88) 2/26 Hawaii (20/29) 3/4 Connecticut (30/61) 3/4 Massachusetts (43/121) 3/4 Ohio (88/161) 3/4 Rhode Island (20/132) 3/11 Mississippi (38/40) 3/11 Washington (40/97) 4 Alaska (29/18) 4/1 Kansas (39/40) 4/15 Colorado (46/) 4/22 Pennsylvania (74/181) 5/6 Indiana (57/79) 5/10 Wyoming (16/18) 5/20 Kentucky (45/55) 5/20 Oregon (30/62) 5/27 Idaho (32/ California (173 / 441) 6/3 Montana (25/23) 6/3 South Dakota (27/22) Early Primaries and Caucuses 1/14 Iowa (41 / 45) Caucus 1/19 Nevada (34 / 25) Caucus 1/22 New Hampshire (24 / 22) 1/22 Wyoming (28 / 18) 1/29 Florida (114 / 185) 2/2 South Carolina (47 / 45) Super Tuesday-2/5 Alabama (48 / 60) Arizona (53 / 67) Arkansas (34 / 47) Delaware (18/23) Georgia (72/104) Illinois (70/185) Michigan (61/157) Missouri (58/88) New Jersey (52/127) New Mexico (32/38) New York (101/280) North Dakota (26/) Oklahoma (42/47) Tennessee (55/85) Utah (36/29) West Virginia (18/37)

Nominating Process Direct Primary (42 States) New Hampshire - February Direct Primary (42 States) Election held within the party to pick the party’s candidates for the General Election Closed Primary Only Party members vote. Open Primary Voters can vote for any party. As of 2011, California has open primaries Iowa - Two weeks earlier Caucus “Gathering of Neighbors) (8 States) Local precincts meet to select candidates. California - Change: March to February

January 3, 2008 to June 3, 2008                                Clinton Obama

2010/2016

Romney Santorum Gingrich Paul

National Convention Nomination Apportionment of Delegates * Each Party grants # of delegates as Electoral Votes * Plus formulas that award bonus delegates Republicans - 1,990 Democrats - 4,320 National Conventions Nomination for President (Vice President? Balance the Ticket ) * Platform

The answer depends on the party The answer depends on the party. Democrats will have approximately 712 superdelegates at their national convention. That’s out of a total of 4,051, meaning that superdelegates make up about 15 percent of the total delegates at play in the Democratic Party’s nominating process. For Democrats, superdelegate status is given to all current Democratic governors, senators, and congressional representatives, as well as certain big-city mayors and state lawmakers. In addition, all former Democratic presidents, vice presidents, U.S. Senate leaders, and speakers of the House are superdelegates, as is President Obama. Lastly, members of the Democratic National Committee are superdelegates as well. All superdelegates can vote for whomever they want at the convention — that’s what makes them super!

National Conventions Purpose? Delegates (GOP – 1900/ Dem 4320) Democrat – Denver (August) Republican – Minneapolis (Sept) Delegates