Questions: What is the difference between closed and open primaries?

What is the difference between closed and open primaries?
Transcript text: What is the difference between closed and open primaries?
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Solution

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The answer is C: Only voters registered with a party can vote in that party's closed primary.

Explanation:

A. "People choose their preferred nominee publicly in a closed primary." - This statement is incorrect. In a closed primary, voting is typically done privately, just like in other types of elections. The key characteristic of a closed primary is not the public nature of the vote but the restriction on who can participate.

B. "Voters can select which party's closed primary to participate in." - This statement is incorrect. In a closed primary, voters cannot choose which party's primary to participate in on the day of the election. Instead, they must be registered members of the party whose primary they wish to vote in, and this registration must be completed before the primary election.

C. "Only voters registered with a party can vote in that party's closed primary." - This statement is correct. In a closed primary, only voters who are registered members of a political party can vote in that party's primary election. This system is designed to ensure that only party members have a say in selecting their party's nominee.

To further clarify, the difference between closed and open primaries lies in voter eligibility:

  • Closed Primary: Only registered party members can vote in their party's primary. This means that if you are registered as a Democrat, you can only vote in the Democratic primary, and the same goes for Republicans and other parties.

  • Open Primary: Voters are not required to be registered with a party to vote in that party's primary. Instead, they can choose on the day of the primary which party's primary they wish to vote in, regardless of their own party affiliation. This allows for more flexibility and inclusivity in the voting process.

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