On December 17, 2020, Gallup polling found that 31% of Americans identified as Democrats, 25% identified as Republicans, and 41% as Independents.
These primaries and caucuses are staggered, generally beginning sometime in January or February, and ending about mid-June before the general election in November. State and local governments run the primary elections, while caucuses are private events that are directly run by the political parties themselves.
Historically, only a few states held
presidential primaries or caucuses.
But the trend has been toward greater
voter participation in the presidential
nomination process
