The mode of nominating a candidate for the presidency of the United States will illustrate the way of making nominations in general.
1. By long-established practice, each state is entitled to twice as many delegates to the national convention as the number of its presidential electors, and each territory to two delegates. Thus, Minnesota being entitled to nine electors, may send eighteen delegates: and New York, having thirty-six electors, is entitled to seventy-two delegates. Each delegate has an alternate, who acts in the delegate's absence.
2. Though the popular election does not take place until November, the national conventions are usually held in June or July. This is probably to allow plenty of time for the campaign.
3. To allow the machinery time to grind out the delegates, the national committee, having early determined upon the time and place for holding the convention, issues its "call" some months in advance, say in February or March. This is published in the newspapers throughout the country.
4. The next step in the process is the issuance of calls by the several state committees. These are issued as soon as practicable after that of the national committee, and usually appoint the state convention for the latter part of May.
5. In some states all of the delegates to the national convention are chosen by the state convention. But the number of states is increasing, and properly so, in which each congressional district chooses its own two delegates, leaving only the four "delegates at large" to be chosen by the state convention. In these states, the next step is the call of the district committee for a convention slightly antedating that of the state.
6. As soon as practicable after the district call is announced, the several county committees issue their call for county conventions, to be held shortly before the district convention.
7. Lastly, the local committees issue their calls, usually giving a week or ten days' notice. The local convention is called a "caucus."
8. Then in succession the local, county, district, state, and national conventions are held. The caucuses send representatives to the county conventions, which in turn choose the deputations to the district and state conventions, and these finally select the delegates to the national convention. An equal number of "alternates" are chosen at the same time. The state convention also names the presidential electors to be supported by the party.
Thus the national convention is the first to be called and the last to be held, while the caucuses are the last to be called and the first to be held. The caucuses are the real battling-place for the people.