Vote 2020: What is a Presidential Primary and who is on the ballot

South Carolina voters head to the polls Saturday for the 'First in the South' Presidential Primary

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)–South Carolina voters head to the polls Saturday for the ‘First in the South’ Presidential Primary.

According to the South Carolina Election commission , here are some general questions and answers about Saturday’s Democratic Presidential Primary.

Per SC VOTES.ORG

Q.  What is a Presidential Preference Primary (PPP)?

A.   A PPP, commonly referred to simply as a “Presidential Primary,” is a publicly held election in which voters vote for their choice to be a political party’s nominee for President in the general election.  State political parties use the results of the PPP to assign state delegates to the national party convention.  At the national convention, delegates from all participating states choose the party’s nominee.  The party’s nominee goes on the General Election ballot in November.  For more on a specific party’s nominating process, contact the appropriate political party.

Q.  Do I have to be a registered member of a party to participate in a Presidential Primary?

A.   No, S.C. does not have registration by party.  The Presidential Primaries are open to all registered S.C. voters.

Q.  Why is there no Republican Presidential Primary?

A.   The Republican Party chose not to have one.  State law allows political parties to choose whether to hold a presidential primary.

Q.  If I vote in one party’s Presidential Primary, do I have to vote in the same party’s state primary in June?

A.   No, voting in a Presidential Primary has no effect on your participation in the State Primaries.  All voters will still have the choice of voting in either the Republican or Democratic State Primaries in June.

Q.  What candidates and/or offices are on the ballot today?

A.   The only candidates on a Presidential Primary ballot are those candidates seeking that party’s nomination for President.  No other offices, candidates or questions will appear on the ballot.  Click here for a list of candidates.

Q.  Why does my ballot still show candidates that have withdrawn?  And, what happens to votes cast for those candidates?

A.   The state political party notifies the SEC of candidates who withdraw from contention in the S.C. Presidential Primary.  The names of candidates who withdraw early in the ballot creation process can be removed from ballots, but names of those who withdraw after absentee voting is underway cannot be removed from ballots.  Therefore, ballots will show some candidates that have withdrawn.  The SEC provides information to voters about candidates who have withdrawn through the agency website, social media, flyers and posters.  Votes cast for these candidates will be counted, and results will be reported on election night.  Click here for a list of candidates.

Q.  There are candidates running that I don’t see on the ballot.  Why is that?

A.   There can be candidates that are running nationally for the party’s nomination that are not participating in the South Carolina Presidential Primary.  The ballot features all candidates that filed in South Carolina and who did not withdraw before ballots were finalized.

Q.  Can I write-in a candidate?

A.   No. Write-ins are not allowed in primaries.

Q.  Why does my ballot have a district number beside the office of President?

A.   Political parties require reporting of Presidential Primary results by Congressional District.  The parties use these results as part of a formula for assigning delegates.  Putting the district number beside the office title of President helps election officials report results by Congressional District.  For example, voters in Congressional District 1 will see the office title “President District 1” on their ballot.

Q.  Who conducts the S.C. Presidential Primaries?

A.   State and county election officials.  Unlike presidential primaries and caucuses in other states where political parties conduct primaries by their own rules, South Carolina’s Presidential Primaries are conducted by election professionals at public polling places using certified voting equipment.

For more information log on here at the SC Votes website https://www.scvotes.org/2020-presidential-preference-primary-faqs