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Elections
- Voting in America: A Right with Rules – Lesson
- Winning the Presidency Isn’t as Easy as it Might Sound – Lesson
- Winning the Presidency Isn’t as Easy as it Might Sound – Quiz
- The Primary and Caucus Process – Lesson
- The Primary and Caucus Process – Quiz
- Super Tuesday: The Biggest Day in Primary Voting – Lesson
- Super Tuesday: The Biggest Day in Primary Voting – Quiz
- Delegates and Superdelegates – What are They? – Lesson
- Delegates and Superdelegates – What are They? – Quiz
- The Importance of Political National Conventions – Lesson
- The Importance of Political National Conventions – Quiz
- Political Spending: Does More Money Mean More Votes? – Lesson
- Political Spending: Does More Money Mean More Votes? – Quiz
- Who Donates to Politicians? – Lesson
- Who Donates to Politicians? – Quiz
- How Economics Has Shaped Elections – Lesson
- Presidential Debates: What Is the Moderator’s Job? – Lesson
- How Does the Electoral College Work? – Lesson
- How Does the Electoral College Work? – Quiz
- Why the Electoral College is Important – Lesson – VIDEO
- Why the Electoral College is Important – Quiz
- Campaign Money: Where Does It Go After Election Day? – Lesson
- Campaign Money: Where Does It Go After Election Day? – Quiz
- ‘Shaping’ the Nation: Is It Redistricting or Gerrymandering? – Lesson
- ‘Shaping’ the Nation: Is It Redistricting or Gerrymandering? – Quiz
- It’s Primary Season in the United States – Lesson
- It’s Primary Season in the United States – Quiz
- Which Way the Wind Blows: Straw Polls and US Elections – Lesson
- Which Way the Wind Blows: Straw Polls and US Elections – Quiz
Super Tuesday: The Biggest Day in Primary Voting – Lesson
Super Tuesday is primary day for about a third of the nation’s population.
Since 1988, whoever won the presidential primaries and caucuses held on Super Tuesday in March (March 3, 2020) ended up the nominee for each political party. There is no day in the primary process with more states participating. And with the two most populous states included – California and Texas – it’s about one third of the nation’s population.
Other states and jurisdictions voting include: Alabama, American Samoa, Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont and Virginia. These 15 states and territories have 35.2% of delegates up for grabs. By month end, tabulating February’s contests and the entire month of March matches, well over 50% of each party’s delegates will have been chosen during the caucuses and primaries. After Super Tuesday, many candidates begin dropping out to realign themselves with front runner(s), as what is next for those losing contenders is jockeying for the number two slot on the presidential ticket.
Super Tuesday also features eight states with open primaries, which adds to the prestige of any candidate dominating the day. An open primary allows all voters – regardless of party affiliation – to vote for their choice, also regardless of party affiliation. That means a Democrat could vote for a Republican in the primary, and easily switch back to voting Democrat in the general election.
Another reason the field of candidates covet a successful Super Tuesday is due to the diverse geographical and social regions involved: It’s a melting pot of rural and urban, coastal states, and middle America and a win is the first prediction of the electability of a candidate. Convincing wins on Super Tuesday traditionally propel candidates to their party’s nomination.
Despite the clear decision-making of the day, some candidates are stretched too thin and resort to what is known in campaign circles as “tarmac campaigning” spending only moments on the ground at the airport to deliver a quick wave and rallying cry before jetting off to the next location. The other criticism is that after Super Tuesday, some states and candidates feel the nomination is set and therefore believe their votes won’t matter.
But every vote does matter and as Super Tuesday comes and goes, pay close attention to what the electorate has to say about the path they want to America pursue.