Primary Primer: Guide to the 2012 Presidential Race

The presidential election—and the lengthy campaign process preceding it—can be difficult for students to grasp. Below is a rundown of basic information to help keep students in the loop.

Key terms referenced in this summary include incumbent, delegate, caucus, primary, Libertarian and conservative. These and other election-related terms are compiled in EducationWorld’s Election Word List. Also see the accompanying 2012 Primary and Caucus Schedule and a related EducationWorld lesson plan that lets students create a campaign calendar.

Looking for additional EducationWorld election resources? Try our collection of lesson plans, Presidential Election: Capitalize on This Teachable Moment, or our library of election-related templates for classroom use.

For the younger grades, try one of our newest lessons:

What is a President? (K-3)
Design a Presidential Candidate (K-6)
Understanding Political Parties (K-4)

The Primary Process

Before the general election can be held in November 2012 for the presidency, each of the two major political parties must select its nominee through a series of primary elections. In the case of the Democrats, the party of incumbent President Barack Obama, Obama is running unopposed. A number of candidates sought the Republican nomination, with Mitt Romney emerging as the likely nominee in August.

To win the nomination, a candidate must amass 50% plus one of delegates’ votes. Delegates were awarded in a series of elections and caucuses that began January 2, 2012 with the Iowa caucus.

A caucus–unofficially referred to as “a gathering of neighbors”–works differently than a traditional election. Instead of simply casting a vote, registered party members met in one of the state's 1,774 precincts for a lively debate, where delegates to the statewide convention were elected. In Iowa, one must be a party member to participate in the caucus, which can take place in a school, community center or even someone's home. Voters were allowed to join the party on the same day as the vote.

The Iowa caucus is a bit confusing, as it did not result directly in delegates being selected for each candidate. Instead, caucus-goers elected delegates to county conventions, who then elected delegates to district and state conventions, where Iowa's national convention delegates were selected. Because the state conventions happen near the end of primary season, Iowa's delegates were actually among the last elected.

From Iowa, the candidates moved on to New Hampshire, the first primary of the campaign season. Despite the state's small size and limited number of delegates, the primary receives an enormous amount of media attention due to its early timing. New Hampshire's primary allowed voters who were either registered Republicans or Democrats to vote. Undeclared voters were permitted to vote in one, but not both, party primaries.

In general, after Iowa and New Hampshire, one or more frontrunners emerge. This year, Mitt Romney claimed a narrow but somewhat unexpected win in Iowa and a decisive victory in New Hampshire, leaving the former Massachusetts governor as the clear leader heading into South Carolina.

While the 2012 primaries are now over, here's the complete 2012 Primary and Caucus Schedule for reference.

The candidates still in the race are:

Mitt Romney: A businessman and the former governor of Massachusetts, Romney ran for president in 2008, losing the nomination to John McCain. A Mormon, Romney may be the most moderate of the Republican contenders. As governor of Massachusetts, Romney pushed for a major healthcare reform bill that provided nearly universal coverage.

While not official until he accepts the nomination at the Republican National Convention August 27-30 in Tampa, FL, Romney is the presumed Republican presidential candidate who will run against Democratic candidate Barack Obama.

Article by Daniel B. Kline, EducationWorld Contributing Editor
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Copyright © 2012 Education World

Updated 07/12/2012