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A Primary Primer

By Bob Benenson and CQ Staff
Posted December 26, 2007 at 1:00am

CQ Politics Editor Bob Benenson offers a quick course in Primaries 101.
1. What is the difference between a primary and a caucus?
2. What is the difference between ‘open’ and ‘closed’ ?
3. How are presidential primaries scheduled?
4. Why do some states have different dates for different parties’ presidential primaries?
5. How do delegates factor into the actual nomination?
6. What do the different delegate classifications mean?
7.How are congressional primaries scheduled?

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