Primaries+and+Caucuses

= Primaries and Caucuses =

__**Caucus-**__
in states that hold caucuses, each party sets a meeting date open to all of their members from that state to informally select delegates to choose their party's Presidential candidate after debate and discussion.

Why are primaries and caucuses important and how are Presidential Candidates Chosen?

 * Before every Presidential election each party holds a national convention when they select a Presidential nominee to represent them in the general election.
 * Delegates from each state are sent to the national conventions to elect a Presidential candidate from their parties.
 * The number of delegates sent by the states in support of each candidate at the national convention is decided by each state's individual primary election or caucus.
 * The number of delegates in support of each candidate sent from each state can be decided by the percentage of the total votes that each candidate receives in that primary or caucus or else by a winner- take- all-policy. The system for distributing delegates to each candidate is decided by each individual state's political leaders.

In a caucus system all members of the party from that state are invited to chose delegates to the national convention
==__!!! Bottom Line !!!__ -by voting in a primary or caucus you are choosing the delegates that pick your party's candidate for president ==