Why do some states have primary elections and other states have presidential caucuses?
State legislatures and state parties determine which form of balloting they prefer. In some states such as New Hampshire, the primary has become well entrenched and legislators are not likely to switch to a different system. Can independent voters take part in a political party’s primary? It depends on state law. In New Hampshire, for example, independent voters can go the polling place on primary day and ask for the ballot of the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. Then, once they cast their ballot, they can fill out a form and switch back to being independent. California used a similar system in its Feb. 5, 2008, presidential primary. Why do Iowa and New Hampshire get to vote first and not states with larger populations, such as California? The short answer is tradition and inertia.
