If you’re like me, you like to get your news in a fast consolidated form. You want the most information in an easy to read format. Well lucky for you, I’m going to give you all you need to know about the Democratic primary elections and why they’re important.
Firstly, the primary election’s purpose is to decide who the nominee will be for the general election in November. The Democratic nominee with 1,991 delegates for the party is then endorsed by the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in the general election. Each state within the DNC has electors who decide the nominee for their state. These electors are the officials that cast the vote based on the winner of the primary election.
As of February 26th, the leading Democratic candidate is Senator Bernie Sanders with 43 delegates. Sanders won the Nevada and New Hampshire primaries and was only two delegates short of a tie with Mayor Pete Buttigeg in Iowa.
However, the tables can turn extremely quickly. On March 3rd, or Super Tuesday, 16 presidential primaries are being held across the country and in U.S. territories. Though polls are taken, the real results are unknown until the day of the primaries and can always change based on voter turnout.
These primary elections are extremely important because they decide the candidate that will represent the party in the general election. They allow a party to rally behind a candidate and support that candidate in the presidential election. These elections are especially important now because the party is so divided due to the overwhelming amount of candidates running for the Democratic nomination.
If you have the ability to vote in these primaries then do so. New York State’s primary is a closed election, this means that only voters registered to a political party may vote in the primary. Thus, only a registered Democrat can vote for a candidate in the primary election.
You have a voice whether you believe it or not. Make sure to be an active citizen and vote if you have the means because every single vote matters. If you can’t vote now, register to vote in the general election!