What distinguishes a primary election from a general election?

• A. Primaries determine party nominees; general elections determine final winners of office.
• B. Primaries determine local issue votes; general elections determine budgets.
• C. Primaries measure public opinion; general elections set policy agendas.
• D. Primaries require no voting.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is the role each election plays in selecting leaders. Primaries are within a party: voters pick which candidate will carry that party’s banner into the general election. The general election, held later, is the actual contest between the party nominees (and sometimes independent candidates) to decide who will hold the office. So primaries determine party nominees, and general elections determine the final winner of the office.

The other statements mix up what happens in these elections. Primaries are not about voting on local issues or budgets, and they’re not simply measures of public opinion or means to set policy agendas. And primaries do involve voting, not a lack of it.