As the focus remains on the upcoming presidential election, it’s important to remember that 18 states still have primary elections to select congressional and local legislature seats. Here is a breakdown of the states and their election processes:
On August 6, Kansas will have a semi-closed primary where unaffiliated voters can choose any party’s candidate, while Michigan will have an open primary allowing any voter to participate. Missouri will also have an open primary, and Washington will use a top-two primary system.
On August 10, Hawaii will have an open primary, while Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and Wisconsin will also conduct open primaries.
On August 20, Alaska will hold a top-four open primary, Florida will have a closed primary, and Wyoming will also have a closed primary.
On August 27, Oklahoma will have a primary runoff with closed primaries for Republicans and semi-closed for Democrats.
On September 10, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island will have closed or semi-closed primaries.
Finally, on November 5, Louisiana will have a unique primary system where all candidates appear on the same ballot, with a candidate needing a simple majority to win outright. If no candidate reaches this threshold, a runoff will be held in December between the top two candidates.
It’s important for voters to stay informed about these primary elections, as they play a crucial role in selecting representatives at the state and local level.
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