Voters cast their ballots during the first day of early voting at a polling station in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 12.
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5:42 p.m. ET, February 23, 2024
Before Americans pick a president in November, they get to pick the candidates in a series of primaries and caucuses. It’s a wonky process that has evolved throughout the country’s history and continues to evolve today.
Here are key things to know before Saturday’s South Carolina Republican primary:
What is a primary? It’s an election to select candidates, usually for a particular political party, to appear on the general election ballot.
Who can vote in a presidential primary? It varies by state. For example, some states have open primaries — including South Carolina — meaning anyone can take part in the primary, even if they aren’t registered party members. Other states have closed primaries, meaning you have to join the party in order to vote. Primaries are generally conducted in polling places like any other election. That’s different from caucuses, which are more like neighborhood meetings. People show up and lobby for their candidates.