For 90 percent of the nation’s 435 congressional and 7,383 state legislative seats, the single most important election for politicians no longer happens in November. Far more important are the party primary elections—typically held between March and September—in which voters choose official party nominees for these and other partisan offices (like governor and U.S. senator). […]
Phil Keisling, Stephanie Hawke, and Taylor Woods
Phil Keisling, Stephanie Hawke, and Taylor Woods co-wrote this article. Phil Keisling, a Washington Monthly contributing editor, served as Oregon secretary of state (1991-99) and is currently the director of the Center for Public Service at Portland State University. Stephanie Hawke is a graduate student in the Public Affairs and Policy PhD program at Portland State University. Taylor Woods is a recent graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School's Master in Public Policy program and is currently a Hatfield Fellow at the Center for Evidence-based Policy.
