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King Caucus System
Candidates were nominated for President by party insiders who were members of Congress. States with the largest populations had significant influence in choosing nominees because size of congressional delegation was based on population. -
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Overtime, the system was viewed as undemocratic: it excluded ordinary citizens from selecting party nominees, and party elites were thought to be unrepresentative of the general public. Also, concern for separation of powers emerged: having Congress select nominees for President was thought to be a conflict of interest. -
Convention System
The Democrats adopted the Anti-Mason party's approach to nominating. They held a national nominating convention, where they offered the electorate a platform of party principles, and the state legislators selected party loyalists as delegates for the electoral college. -
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In 1969, divisions within the Democratic Party occurred that catalyzed further nominating reforms. The anti-war movement over Vietnam split the Democratic Party and produced violent demonstrations in the streets of Chicago, where the DNC was held. Despite the protests, the party nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who had not participated in any Democratic primaries. He was the establishment candidate, so reforms were enacted to increase the influence of ordinary citizens. -
Primary System
As currently constituted, voters may cast ballots for a party's presidential candidates themselves, or indirectly via convention delegates who are "pledged" to those candidates.There are open primaries, where any voter can participate in either primary election; closed primaries where voting is open only to registered party members; and, caucuses where party members meet openly deliberate about candidates and cast votes.
