A presidential primary serves the function of gathering delegates. These delegates will determine which candidate the party will choose to run in the general election in November.
Texas holds open primaries. This means that anyone can vote in either primary, regardless of how one identifies politically.
Texas’ primary on March 1 is considered “Super Tuesday” as residents of 11 states and American Samoa cast their votes on the same day.
Vote for a candidate
Primaries serve this end by the people who show up. When voters cast their ballots for any presidential candidate, they are casting their votes for delegates for that particular candidate.
Votes are tallied
Once voting ends for the primary and votes are tallied, delegates are divvied up between the candidates depending on the number of votes each received.
State convention
These delegates will then go to the state party convention and vote for the designated candidate. For Texas, this will take place in June.
National convention
After the state party convention, the delegates selected will then go to the national party conventions in mid-to-late July, where the party will nominate candidates for president and vice president in the general election.
Narrowed down
Primaries are good at narrowing the field of candidates. The Republican field has already narrowed from 11 to five.
TCC primaries
Of the voters who showed up to TCC campuses to vote in the 2012 presidential primary, Republicans were more likely to vote on NE and NW. South mostly saw Democratic voters, and SE saw a dead-even representation of Democrats and Republicans.
Presidential candidates competing on March 1
Bernie Sanders (Democrat)
Hillary Clinton (Democrat)
John Kasich (Republican)
Marco Rubio (Republican)
Donald Trump (Republican)
Ted Cruz (Republican)
Ben Carson (Republican)
