Caucus vs. Primary
Main DifferenceCaucus and Primary both are the phenomena that refer towards the electing nominees for Presidential Elections in the US. In the different States of America, both these processes are practiced, and are used for choosing nominees for Presidential elections. Each state and parties in that state propose names of the nominees from the state, furthermore among those nominated nominees the final candidates of presidential elections are selected. Caucus and primary both are a different process of nominating the candidates and is followed in different parts of US. Primary refer towards the selection of nominees through the electoral process, in which every resident of the state vote in the ballots like general elections. On the other hand, Caucus refers towards the small party meeting and gathering in which party members choose the nominees by raising hands or making groups, etc.
Difference Between Caucus and Primary
Caucus vs. Primary
Caucus is the method of selecting nominees for the presidential elections by calling small party meetings or gatherings.
Caucus vs. Primary
Primary is the electoral method of selecting nominees for the presidential elections.
Caucus vs. Primary
In caucus only registered party members vote by simply raising hands or dividing into groups.
Caucus vs. Primary
In primary registered voters and permanent resident of the state cast their votes in closed ballots along with party members.
Caucusnoun
(US) A usually preliminary meeting of party members to nominate candidates for public office or delegates to be sent a nominating convention, or to confer regarding policy.
Primaryadjective
The first in a group or series.
Children attend primary school, and teenagers attend secondary school.Caucusnoun
A grouping of all the members of a legislature from the same party.
Primaryadjective
Main; principal; placed ahead of others.
Preferred stock has primary claim on dividends, ahead of common stock.Caucusverb
(US) To meet and participate in caucus.
Primaryadjective
(geology) Earliest formed; fundamental.
Caucusnoun
a closed political meeting
Primaryadjective
(chemistry) Illustrating, possessing, or characterized by, some quality or property in the first degree; having undergone the first stage of substitution or replacement.
Caucusverb
meet to select a candidate or promote a policy
Primaryadjective
(medicine) Relating to the place where a disorder or disease started to occur.
Primaryadjective
(medicine) Relating to day-to-day care provided by health professionals such as nurses, general practitioners, dentists etc.
Primarynoun
A primary election; a preliminary election to select a political candidate of a political party.
Primarynoun
The first year of grade school.
Primarynoun
A base or fundamental component; something that is irreducible.
Primarynoun
The most massive component of a gravitationally bound system, such as a planet in relation to its satellites.
Primarynoun
A primary school.
Primarynoun
(ornithology) Any flight feather attached to the manus (hand) of a bird.
Primarynoun
A primary colour.
Primarynoun
(medicine) Primary site of disease; original location or source of the disease.
unknown primarymost common primariesPrimarynoun
(electronics) A directly driven inductive coil, as in a transformer or induction motor that is magnetically coupled to a secondary
Primaryverb
To knock out an incumbent in the primary election, typically used referring to a non-incumbent challenger.
Primaryverb
To take part in a primary election.
Primaryverb
To challenge an incumbent sitting politician for their political party's endorsement to run for re-election, through running a challenger campaign in a primary election
Primarynoun
a preliminary election where delegates or nominees are chosen
Primarynoun
one of the main flight feathers projecting along the outer edge of a bird's wing
Primarynoun
coil forming the part of an electrical circuit such that changing current in it induces a current in a neighboring circuit;
current through the primary coil induces current in the secondary coilPrimaryadjective
of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondhand;
primary goalsa primary effectprimary sourcesa primary interestPrimaryadjective
not derived from or reducible to something else; basic;
a primary instinctPrimaryadjective
most important element;
the chief aim of livingthe main doors were of solid glassthe principal rivers of Americathe principal examplepolicemen were primary targetsPrimaryadjective
of or being the essential or basic part;
an elementary need for love and nurturingPrimaryadjective
of primary importance;
basic truthsComparison Chart
| Caucus | Primary |
| Caucus is the phenomena of selecting the nominees for presidential elections by small meeting and party gathering, where party members vote by raising hands. | Primary is the famous phenomena of selecting the nominees for the presidential election in each state where all the residents of the state vote in the ballots. |
| Who Can Vote | |
| It depends on the kind of caucus and the state but most of the time only the registered party members vote and choose. | It also depends on the nature of primary. Both the registered party members and all the residents of the state usually vote. |
| Selection Method | |
| In caucus, nominees are selected in small gathering or party meeting. Registered party members vote by raising hands or getting divide into groups. | Voting is done by selecting the nominees. It is similar to general elections; people vote in secret ballots. |
| States | |
| There are some states of America that use this process which includes Maine, Iowa, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, Dakota, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming. | All the rest of the States of America other than mentioned in caucus uses the primary process for selecting the nominees for presidential elections. |
What is Caucus?
Caucus is the term that is used to depict the phenomena of selecting the nominees for the Presidential elections in the US. Caucus is the term used by the Americans for defining the process of selecting nominees for the presidential elections. Caucus is often mixed up with primary as in the majority of the States of America primary method is famous and is used for selecting the nominees. Caucus whereas is an old sort of method which is famous in some of the American states which still prefer caucus for selecting their nominees for elections. In this method, the specific parties with the majority of voters and supporters, call up small party meeting or gathering in any part of the state. In that gathering, only the registered party members and official people are allowed to participate. In these gatherings than the registered party members are given the right to choose their personal favorite nominee as a candidate. The party members vote by simply raising hands or by getting separated in groups showing up the support for a particular member. By this simple gathering and informal kind of method, the nominees are finalized and proposed further to be the candidates of the Presidential elections. The party with a majority in every state proposes their nominee for as candidate of the presidential election, from which the candidates are finalized for presidential elections. This method was popular early on in many states of America but later on started to be faint out as many thought it is not enough for choosing the right candidate, and the party members are biased on the basis of their affiliation with particular candidates. There are some states of America that use this process which includes Maine, Iowa, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, Dakota, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming. All the states except these states use the primary method.
What is Primary?
Primary is the method or process that is quite famous and used widely in majority states of America for selecting the nominees for the Presidential elections. Primary is a kind of complete official sort of electoral process of selecting the nominees. In this method, the party members along with all the residents of that particular state cast their votes in the secret ballots. This phenomenon is quite similar to the general elections. Due to its clear nature and on merit selection it is highly appreciated and preferred in most of the States of America. The primary method further has different types based on the nature of vote cast by people. For example, some states may possess closed primary method in which only the registered party members vote in the closed ballots for the nominee, and no external person can participate. Whereas in open primary method a permanent resident and registered voter of that particular state also cast their votes along with the registered party members.
