Not a political discussion just a question

[Luvchefmic]

I have searched all over the internet and can't seem to find an answer. Is there a specific date that democrats and republicans choose the candidates to put up for the presidential election ?
Does anyone know when that is or does it change each time ? I know both parties don't do this at the same time but have no idea when. It came up in conversation and no one seemed to know. Thanks

 

[pryncess527]

Well, they make the official selection at each party's convention. But the candidate is typically known long before the official selection is made.

Each state has a primary or a caucus. When one candidate has won enough primary/caucus votes to secure the nomination, they are generally accepted as the nominee. The actual delegates selected by the primary/caucus will cast their votes at the convention. Typically the delegates are not obligated to vote the way their state/district did, but it is expected that they will.

The Democratic Party will officially select their candidate at their convention in July 25-28 2016 (held in Philly)
The Republican Party will officially select their candidate at their convention in July 18-21 2016 in Cleveland, OH

 

[sam_gordon]

It will be during the primary elections next year (2016). Each state decides when the primaries will be held (unlike the general election when all states have elections on the same day-- 2nd Tuesday in November (or is it 1st?).

 

[Jennasis]

The parties choose the actual candidates at their convention.

2016 Democratic Nat'l Convention is July 25-28

2016 Republican Nat'l Convention is July 18-21

As states above, there are primary elections to choose the delegates who will attend and it is assumed they will vote for the candidate that won those votes, but they technically don't have to. So the official candidate is chosen at the convention...via a vote.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Oh for goodness sakes, talk about feeling stupid ( both of us ;-) ) if we remembered the words Primary Elections the answer for the date we were interested in was right at our fingertips via internet search. Thanks for answering everyone.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Don't feel stupid you just dropped some educational nuggets on us! 1/3 of the population don't know who the Vice President is so don't ever feel stupid

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Each state decides when the primaries will be held (unlike the general election when all states have elections on the same day-- 2nd Tuesday in November (or is it 1st?).

It's the first Tuesday.

 

[lpereira]

Pledged candidates are bound by the rules to vote for a specific candidate. Unpledged candidates can vote for whomever they choose. The pledged vote is enforceable so it isn't just a technically the delegate has to vote a certain way. Failure to do so leads to some very nasty consequences- the least of which is losing their delegate credentials and thus their vote. The delegate would then be replaced with an alternate delegate who will vote according to the established rules.
At a brokered convention all bets are off. And any candidate selected at a brokered convention limps into the general election severely wounded.
How to become a national delegate. Attend your local precinct reorganization and get elected to attend your county convention. At the county get elected at attend state. At state get elected to attend national. A delegate isn't always attached to a candidate at the time of election to national but determined based on how that state party allocates primary or caucus votes. Except the Democrat Party requires all states to do proportional allocation. It is easy to get elected to county. Reasonably easy to get elected to state but very very hard to get elected to national. The higher up you go the fewer seats available with a larger group chasing them.

 

[LBIJim]

It will be during the primary elections next year (2016). Each state decides when the primaries will be held (unlike the general election when all states have elections on the same day-- 2nd Tuesday in November (or is it 1st?).

First Tuesday in November AFTER the first Monday in November. Meaning if November 1 is a Tuesday, Election Day gets pushed back to the second Tuesday, November 8. In every other instance it's the first Tuesday in November.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

First Tuesday in November AFTER the first Monday in November. Meaning if November 1 is a Tuesday, it gets pushed back to the second Tuesday, November 8. In every other instance it's the first Tuesday in November.

OOoohhhhh yeah.

 

[sam_gordon]

First Tuesday in November AFTER the first Monday in November. Meaning if November 1 is a Tuesday, Election Day gets pushed back to the second Tuesday, November 8. In every other instance it's the first Tuesday in November.

Thanks. Thought it was something like that.

 

[lpereira]

It's the first Tuesday.

States have almost no say in when their primary or caucus is held. The national party committee gives each state a,time frame that they are allowed to schedule during. Failure to abide by the schedule set by the national party results in the loss of some or all of that states delegates.
South Carolina lost 1/2 half of its delegates at the last convention for holding its primary a,week early. The half remaining was assigned to a hotel an hour out from the convention site making the state's delegation miss many votes that were taken during the convention

 

[LBIJim]

The parties choose the actual candidates at their convention.

2016 Democratic Nat'l Convention is July 25-28

2016 Republican Nat'l Convention is July 18-21

As states above, there are primary elections to choose the delegates who will attend and it is assumed they will vote for the candidate that won those votes, but they technically don't have to. So the official candidate is chosen at the convention...via a vote.

I'm surprised by the early dates of the Democratic convention, especially so soon after the Republican one. Usually the second convention is in August or even early September.

 

[LBIJim]

A quick Google search indicates that way back when, TPTB didn't want Election Day on November 1 for two reasons. One, it would interfere with the Catholic Holy Day of All Saints Day, and two, many merchants reconciled their books from the previous month on the first of the next month.

 

[hydrotony]

Also, the Incumbent President's party convention is held after the challenging party's convention.

 

[sam_gordon]

States have almost no say in when their primary or caucus is held. The national party committee gives each state a,time frame that they are allowed to schedule during. Failure to abide by the schedule set by the national party results in the loss of some or all of that states delegates.
South Carolina lost 1/2 half of its delegates at the last convention for holding its primary a,week early. The half remaining was assigned to a hotel an hour out from the convention site making the state's delegation miss many votes that were taken during the convention

How does that work? Do some states have two primaries? One for Republicans, one for Democrats?

 

[lpereira]

How does that work? Do some states have two primaries? One for Republicans, one for Democrats?

It depends. Some states as a matter of finance will hold both party primaries on the same day in their window. Some will hold them on different days. Some will have one party electing to hold a caucus and another having a primary. Those will most certainly be on different days.
In SC (my state) Republicans will hold their primary on Feb 20, 2016. Democrats on February 27, 2016. Kentucky Republicans may still elect to have a caucus months earlier than the state's primary because state law prohibits Rand Paul for running for 2 offices in the same election. He would attempt to pick up delegates during the caucus and then appear in the primary for his senate seat months later.

 

[bananabean]

I'm surprised by the early dates of the Democratic convention, especially so soon after the Republican one. Usually the second convention is in August or even early September.

You're right; for the past 30 or so years (with a few exceptions), the conventions have been in August & September. This year the Republicans are trying to avoid the long, drawn-out primary issue they ran into during 2012 and the Democrats have said they want to try and counter any potential convention bounce. But the main reason is that both parties want to be able to promote their nominee for longer and have access to general campaign money (as opposed to primary money).

 

[georgina]

States have almost no say in when their primary or caucus is held. The national party committee gives each state a,time frame that they are allowed to schedule during. Failure to abide by the schedule set by the national party results in the loss of some or all of that states delegates.
South Carolina lost 1/2 half of its delegates at the last convention for holding its primary a,week early. The half remaining was assigned to a hotel an hour out from the convention site making the state's delegation miss many votes that were taken during the convention

Pennsylvania always talks about moving its date up because the candidate is often already chosen by the time our primary rolls around in late April. I see S Carolina is in February.

 

[lpereira]

Pennsylvania always talks about moving its date up because the candidate is often already chosen by the time our primary rolls around in late April. I see S Carolina is in February.

South Carolina, NH, and Iowa ALWAYS go first. It's in the rules- for the Republican party. Lots of states talk about moving up but few do because the penalties are so high. I believe this season failure to abide by the schedule will result in a loss of all delegates from the state. I doubt they will ever enforce that penalty but losing half or more is pretty tough. I believe there are candidate penalties for campaigning in a state that holds its primary out of turn as well but I,wasn't paying attention that closely.