closed primary

American  

noun

1. a direct primary in which only persons meeting tests of party membership may vote.

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closed primary British  

noun

1. government a primary in which only members of a particular party may vote Compare open primary

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closed primary Cultural  

1. A type of direct primary limited to registered party members, who must declare their party affiliation in order to vote. The closed primary serves to encourage party unity and prevent members of other parties from infiltrating and voting to nominate weak candidates. (Compare open primary.)

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Etymology

Origin of closed primary

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Compare meaning

How does closed-primary compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• open primary vs. closed primary

Example Sentences

Mr. Mamdani won a closed primary thanks to a surge in under-30 voters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025

New Mexico has a closed primary system that limits participation to voters who register with major parties, leaving out Independent or unaffiliated voters, but not Libertarians.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2024

Authorities there have halted some construction, closed primary schools and will impose restrictions on the use of vehicles from next week to combat pollution.

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2023

Because Maryland has a closed primary system, voters who have not registered with a party can only vote for candidates running for the nonpartisan Board of Education.

From Washington Post • Jun. 25, 2018

Most primary laws, however, insist upon a statement by the voter of his party affiliation as a condition to participation in the primary, which is therefore called a "closed" primary.

From Government in the United States National, State and Local by Garner, James Wilford