Democracy is a thing that sometimes carries an interesting terminology. Among the phenomena new to Russia are primary or preliminary elections. In a Western manner, they are called primaries. What is the primary election? Are they compatible with Russian realities?
Definition
The term "primaries" (primaries, "primary") has two interpretations. Firstly, this is a vote in which voters determine a single candidate from a political association (usually a party), a municipal district, or other territorial or structural unit of a rank lower than the one in which the official will be elected at the next stage. For example, a person who won the primaries in his municipal district (part of the city) can then become a candidate for mayoral election. Secondly, this is a preliminary, “rehearsal” vote, which is not considered official. But it can, for example, determine the favorites of the present or help citizens decide on their future choice.
Primaries are a fairly new phenomenon for Russia, but quite typical for the USA. Americans, using this democratic tool, identify candidates for elected positions in local governments. Most candidates for the office of President of the United States pass through preliminary voting.
US Presidential Primaries
Primaries - what is it for an ordinary American? First of all, this is a phenomenon associated with the election of the President of the United States. The election of the head of the American state by the population is essentially a choice between two parties - the Republican and the Democratic. A nationwide vote is preceded by a stage of preliminary elections, in which a candidate from each party is determined. The main idea here is to ensure that candidates with similar political views and program content do not take away electoral votes from each other at the main stage. By the way, there are precedents when people who lost in the primaries nevertheless advanced in the presidential election, but in the status of non-partisans.
There are two types of primary elections in the USA - open (when any citizen can vote) and closed (only members of the party can vote). The first primaries in the USA were carried out in the 19th century. At first, they were an optional stage of the presidential election, but by 1927 laws were passed in each state, according to which it was impossible to conduct a presidential race without an initial vote. The USA has very different primaries, depending on the state. Somewhere in the primary elections, only those who indicate membership in that party can vote for a candidate from a particular party. In other states, everyone has the right to vote.
Primaries in Russia
What is the "primaries", so far not many people in Russia know. But recently, more and more citizens have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with this phenomenon. In the summer of 2014, primaries were held for the elections to the Moscow City Duma. Residents of the Russian capital were given the opportunity to express their attitude to the candidates for the post of deputies of the legislative assembly of the city.
This stage of the elections was unofficial, but, according to a number of political scientists, it became an important step forward in the field of building democratic relations between the government and the people. In the Moscow primaries, 250 thousand residents of the capital voted. In 16 districts, the current deputies of the Moscow City Duma won. But in the remaining 29, representatives of various statuses and professions won, for example, employees of budgetary institutions, doctors. The election was attended by pop stars and show business.
Criticism
The main thesis of people who are critical of the primaries is as follows: Russians are not well informed about the essence of this stage of voting. "Primaries? What is it? Didn't hear!" - that’s what, according to critics, a typical citizen’s response will appear. In particular, during the primaries in Moscow, some residents of the capital were sure that they were present at the present election of deputies. In addition, as some experts note, after the primaries, the electorate ceased to perceive many candidates as party candidates. If, say, he sympathized (and did not know what the primaries) of United Russia, then after a preliminary vote he might have the impression that the candidate acts independently of the party. Other critics note a very low turnout at the primaries, which may indicate a disinterest in citizens. Figures for the same Moscow elections are given as an example: despite a forecasted turnout of 700 thousand people, several times fewer people appeared at polling stations. According to some politicians, this means that Muscovites do not have confidence in the primaries, that such an event cannot be put on a par with the official elections. At the same time, critics believe that the result could be better if the organizers conducted a campaign in advance to inform residents of the city about this stage of the election.
Positive rating
There are experts who respond to the primary in a positive way. What are their counter arguments to critics? Primaries - what is it? Why is this phenomenon worthy of praise from experts? The main thesis of the piety bearers regarding the primary elections is that voters get the opportunity to get to know the candidates and study their profile and values.
Deputies who participate in the primaries, analysts believe, will have an advantage over those who considered it necessary to ignore this stage of the election - recognition. For example, when an official vote will be held for candidates to the Moscow City Duma, those deputies who entered the city’s parliament last time but were not known to Muscovites may cede their mandates to those who have positively shown themselves to the citizens in the primaries. As a result, experts believe, democratic elections will increase and political competition will intensify. The primary elections to the Moscow City Duma, thereby, gave citizens the opportunity to understand the essence of the primaries, what it is and why it is needed.