Closed primary

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A closed primary is a type of direct primary limited to registered party members who have declared their party affiliation, in order to vote in the election. The closed primary serves to encourage party unity and prevent members of other parties from infiltrating and voting to nominate weak candidates. However, critics claim that this type of primary disenfranchises independent voters and puts more moderate candidates at a disadvantage.

The opposite is an open primary, that is open to voters regardless of their party affiliation and status. Another possibility is the semi-closed primary, where independent voters may choose at the poll which party's primary to vote for.

In a closed primary, voters on Election Day must choose one political party's ballot. Only Democratic candidates are found on the Democratic ballot. Republican candidates are found on the Republican ballot. Voters must choose only one ballot. Therefore, in open primaries, voters receive the same ballot, which contain the candidates' names from all political parties. The voters do not have to declare their party affiliation in open primaries.

States, commonwealths, districts, and territories that have closed primaries^{[citation needed]}:

• Arizona
• California (Republican closed, Democratic semi-closed)
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida ^[1]
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Massachusetts (Semi-closed primary)
• Nebraska
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina (Semi-closed primary)
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Puerto Rico
• Rhode Island (Semi-closed primary)^[2]
• South Dakota
• Utah
• West Virginia

[edit] References

Arizona State Constitution; Article VII Section 10 - Direct Primary Election Law Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 16, Chapter 4, Article 5 (16-467(b)) - Method of Voting on Ballot

Arizona - An "Open" Primary State

Arizona Constitution; Article VII, Section 10 - Direct Primary Election Law

The Legislature shall enact a direct primary election law, which shall provide for the nomination of candidates for all elective State, county, and city offices, including candidates for United States Senator and for Representative in Congress. Any person who is registered as no party preference or independent as the party preference or who is registered with a political party that is not qualified for representation on the ballot may vote in the primary election of any one of the political parties that is qualified for the ballot.

Arizona Revised Statutes; Title 16, Chapter 4, Article 5 (16-467(b)) - Method of Voting on Ballot

Each party ballot shall be designated by the name of the party, and for a voter who is registered as a member of a political party that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804, the voter shall be given by the judge of election one ballot only of the party with which the voter is affiliated as it appears in the precinct register. For a voter who is registered as independent, or no party preference or as a member of a political party that is not entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section 16-804, the voter shall designate the ballot of only one of the political parties that is entitled to continued representation on the ballot and the judge of election shall give the elector only that political party's ballot.

Primary elections in Arizona are "open" meaning that voters registered as independent, no party preference, or other party which is not qualified for representation on the ballot (I.e., Libertarian) may vote in the primary elections of any one of the parties that is qualified (I.e., Republican or Democratic parties).

Proposition 106 on the 1998 Ballot was passed amending the Arizona Constitution and making it an "open" primary state. The Primary election in Arizona is held in the month of September of an election year.

In 1992, Arizona established the Presidential Preference Election giving voters the opportunity to express their preference for the presidential candidate of the political party the voter is registered with as their party preference. The Presidential Preference Election is not a "primary" election and in fact, differs significantly. Unlike a primary election, the Presidential Preference Election does not determine which party candidate is placed on the general election ballot.

The constitutional provision and statute pertaining to "open" primary elections do not pertain to the Presidential Preference Election held in February and is commonly called "Super Tuesday". Presidential Preference Elections in Arizona are closed elections.