Election season is in full swing, and those on the long list of presidential candidates are gearing up for the first round of primaries in Iowa. On Feb. 1, they will see the fruits of their non-stop campaigning play out among the American population to decide who will represent each party in the general election in November. 

What is a primary? 

A primary is intended to give citizens more say in who represents the parties in the national general election by either allowing them to vote directly for the candidate of their choice or vote for the state delegate who will ultimately cast their vote for their respective party’s nominee. 

What are the rules? 

In an open primary, citizens may vote in either the Republican or the Democratic party in the state in which they are registered, regardless of their party affiliation

In a closed primary, citizens can only vote within the party they are registered in, meaning that a Republican can only vote for a Republican candidate and a Democrat for a Democratic candidate

However, citizens may only vote in one primary for one party.

The North Carolina primaries are in March, so here is a quick rundown of what you need to know if you plan to make your voice count: 

• Feb. 19 @5 p.m.: Voter registration deadline for March Primary 

• March 3: Early voting begins

• March 8 @5 p.m.: Deadline to request and absentee ballot

• March 12 @1 p.m.: Early voting ends

• March 15 from 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.: Election Day, Primary Election