If you are going to be voting in the 2016 election or even following it, these are some preliminary matters that could help you track the race to the oval office.

What is a Caucus?

The Caucus, though differing in each state, is generally a voting system done by raising hands to select candidates within parties. However, many states do not use the Caucus system. Though once the main way of electing presidential candidates, only Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, North Dakota, Wyoming and Iowa use caucuses now. Colorado does use the caucus, and in order to participate in the caucus, one must be registered as a Democrat or Republican. Many people feel caucuses are ideal. “I think the caucuses are what democracies are built on,” Charlie Szold, the communications director for the Iowa GOP, told Business Insider last year. “The idea that a group of neighbors will get together to talk and debate and decide who they want to be our next president or our next nominee in this case gets at the very essence of what America is built on,” he explained further. Colorado’s caucus is similar to many other state’s closed primaries. The winner of the caucus earns that state’s delegates.

What are Primaries?

Primaries involve secret ballots to elect candidates. If a state does not hold a caucus, they will hold a primary. A closed primary is one where only people who are registered to a party may vote in their party’s primary. Semi-closed primaries are similar to closed, as both only allow people to vote for their party, but semi-closed allow independents to vote for their respective primary. Open primaries are along the same lines as how country-wide Election Day works, as anyone can vote in either party’s primary for any candidate. The winner of each primary wins that state’s delegates.

What are Delegate Votes?
Delegate votes, the votes candidates receive for winning states in the caucuses and primaries, go towards a total number of votes, in order to determine who becomes a party’s presidential candidate. Each state has a certain amount of delegates that can be won by candidates; Colorado has sixty six. For a democratic candidate to become the presidential candidate, they need a total of 2,383 delegate votes. So far, for the 2016 elections, on “Super Tuesday” Hillary Clinton won Texas, earning her one hundred and twenty delegates out of the potential two hundred twenty two.  For a Republican candidate to win and become the presidential candidate, they need to earn a total of 1,237  delegate votes. In the Republican party, on “Super Tuesday” Donald Trump was in the lead by gaining one hundred and fifty delegates.  

Every vote counts. Whether you are voting in a primary, a caucus, or just voting on Election Day, your vote will impact who will be the next president. So, do your research.  Know who you are voting for and why. Make your decision not based off who your friends or parents are voting for, but who you believe will be the best person to be our next president. In many states, snapchatting a picture of your ballot is illegal! Keep yourself out of trouble and stick to posting about your “I voted” stickers!