Introduction
The US electoral system uses three different types of primary elections: open, closed, and semi-closed primaries. Open primaries are those in which any registered voter can vote for the candidates of any political party in the state. In a closed primary, however, only registered members of the political party whose primary is being held can participate in voting. Lastly, semi-closed primaries are those in which independent or unaffiliated voters may vote only for non-partisan races or nonpartisan candidates but not for partisan candidates or parties. These primary elections are important to determine who will eventually be on the ballot during the general election. Each type of primary has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the state’s laws. For instance, open primaries might give more power to those who favor one particular party over another, while closed primaries could create a sense of disenfranchisement among some groups due to having to register with a particular party before being able to participate in voting.
State | Primary Election Type |
---|---|
Delaware | Closed Primaries |
Florida | Closed Primaries |
Kentucky | Closed Primaries |
Maryland | Closed Primaries |
Nebraska | Closed Primaries |
Nevada | Closed Primaries |
New Mexico | Closed Primaries |
New York | Closed Primaries |
Oregon | Closed Primaries |
Pennsylvania | Closed Primaries |
Louisiana | No Primaries |
Alabama | Open Primaries |
Arkansas | Open Primaries |
Georgia | Open Primaries |
Hawaii | Open Primaries |
Michigan | Open Primaries |
Minnesota | Open Primaries |
Mississippi | Open Primaries |
Missouri | Open Primaries |
Montana | Open Primaries |
North Dakota | Open Primaries |
South Carolina | Open Primaries |
Texas | Open Primaries |
Vermont | Open Primaries |
Virginia | Open Primaries |
Wisconsin | Open Primaries |
Arizona | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
Colorado | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
Kansas | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
Maine | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
Massachusetts | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
New Hampshire | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
New Jersey | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
Rhode Island | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
West Virginia | Open to Unaffiliated Voters |
Connecticut | Partially Closed |
Idaho | Partially Closed |
North Carolina | Partially Closed |
Oklahoma | Partially Closed |
South Dakota | Partially Closed |
Utah | Partially Closed |
Illinois | Partially Open |
Indiana | Partially Open |
Iowa | Partially Open |
Ohio | Partially Open |
Tennessee | Partially Open |
Wyoming | Partially Open |
Alaska | Top-Four |
California | Top-Two |
Washington | Top-Two |
Primary Election Type by State
Alabama
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Alaska
Primary Election Type
Top-Four
Arizona
Primary Election Type
Open to Unaffiliated Voters
Arkansas
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
California
Primary Election Type
Top-Two
Colorado
Primary Election Type
Open to Unaffiliated Voters
Connecticut
Primary Election Type
Partially Closed
Delaware
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
Florida
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
Georgia
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Hawaii
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Idaho
Primary Election Type
Partially Closed
Illinois
Primary Election Type
Partially Open
Indiana
Primary Election Type
Partially Open
Iowa
Primary Election Type
Partially Open
Kansas
Primary Election Type
Open to Unaffiliated Voters
Kentucky
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
Louisiana
Primary Election Type
No Primaries
Maine
Primary Election Type
Open to Unaffiliated Voters
Maryland
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
Massachusetts
Primary Election Type
Open to Unaffiliated Voters
Michigan
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Minnesota
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Mississippi
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Missouri
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Montana
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Nebraska
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
Nevada
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
New Hampshire
Primary Election Type
Open to Unaffiliated Voters
New Jersey
Primary Election Type
Open to Unaffiliated Voters
New Mexico
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
New York
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
North Carolina
Primary Election Type
Partially Closed
North Dakota
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Ohio
Primary Election Type
Partially Open
Oklahoma
Primary Election Type
Partially Closed
Oregon
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
Pennsylvania
Primary Election Type
Closed Primaries
Rhode Island
Primary Election Type
Open to Unaffiliated Voters
South Carolina
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
South Dakota
Primary Election Type
Partially Closed
Tennessee
Primary Election Type
Partially Open
Texas
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Utah
Primary Election Type
Partially Closed
Vermont
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Virginia
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Washington
Primary Election Type
Top-Two
West Virginia
Primary Election Type
Open to Unaffiliated Voters
Wisconsin
Primary Election Type
Open Primaries
Wyoming
Primary Election Type
Partially Open