The Nomination Game

This article looks at how the two major parties in the United States nominate their candidates for the presidency. Because states and state parties in America have jurisdiction over many parts of the nominating process, details of the system are complex and change every election. Since the 1970s, however, both parties have sought to nominate the candidate who has received the greatest support from party voters and, in some states, independents. Whether this system encourages responsible campaigns and finds the best candidates have been much debated, but a fundamental change of the nominating system in the near future appears highly unlikely.