The Primary election season is upon us.  The first three states to vote in 2026 will be Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas on March 3^rd.  Mississippi and Georgia will follow on March 10, and Illinois on March 17.  Then all the rest of the states will follow. The last state to hold its Primary is Delaware on September 15. This month we will be looking at aspects of Primary elections.

The purpose of Primary elections is to narrow down the field of candidates to one individual who will represent their party in the general election.  While voters have the freedom to vote across party lines in general elections, the rules can be, and often are, different for Primary elections. About half the states have some form of closed Primary where only registered party voters are allowed to select their party’s candidate.

Primary elections often provide voters with a broad range of candidates from which to choose. This is good and healthy. By offering a varied pool of candidates, Primary elections ensure that the chosen party’s candidate best represents the interests of the party.

Preceding Primary elections, candidates are encouraged to engage in healthy debates and the exchange of ideas at various events.  The lead up to Primary election is intended to develop a more knowledgeable electorate. As voters consider a candidate’s qualifications, voting track record, and policy positions, they not only become more informed, but the final winning candidate has hopefully been more vetted.

Why are Primary elections important? Beside the reasons listed above, Primary elections are especially important because the turnout is relatively small and those who do show up to vote become a force multiplier. Think about this: In presidential Primary years turnout in many states typically falls between 20%–30% of eligible voters. However, in nonpresidential years like 2026, Primary turnout can dip into the teens. One of the reasons we often end up with such unappealing candidates in November is because of low voter turnout in the Primaries. However, informed Christians who vote in the Primaries can have an enormous impact on the selection of better, more God-pleasing candidates in the Fall general election. So, Primary elections are a wonderful opportunity to make a huge difference in candidate choices for your local, county, state, and federal governments.

Question: What are you doing right now to be an informed voter in this year’s Primary election cycle? To help you in this process, I encourage you to view your candidate choices and their values at https://ivoterguide.com/ BEFORE you vote!