What is the difference between primary and general elections?

Primary and general elections are used in North Carolina to determine the winners of local, state, and federal government positions. Primary elections are typically used to select a party’s candidate for the general election. In a primary election, each political party holds its own election on the same day. Voters registered with the party can vote for the candidate of their choice. The candidate with the most votes wins the party’s nomination for the general election. This is called a “closed” primary election, because only those registered with the party can vote. In some cases, an “open” primary election is also used. This allows voters who aren’t registered with a party to still vote in the primary election. In a general election, all registered voters can cast their ballots regardless of party affiliation. These elections take place on a different day from the primary election and are used to select the final winners of the various government positions. In summary, the difference between primary and general elections is that a primary election is used to select a party’s candidate for the general election, while in the general election, all registered voters can cast their ballots.

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