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{{short description|Process for selecting candidates prior to a public election}}
{{globalize|date=July 2019}}
{{Politics}}
{{For|Eurovision Song Contest preselection|Eurovision Song Contest#Pre-selections and relegation}}
'''Preselection''' is the process by which a [[candidate]] is selected, usually by a [[political party]], to contest an [[election]] for political office. It is also referred to as '''candidate selection'''. It is a fundamental function of political parties. The preselection process may involve the party's executive or leader selecting a candidate<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/malcolm-turnbull-steps-in-to-save-angus-taylor-from-hume-preselection-fight-20160218-gmx8ry Malcolm Turnbull steps in to protect two sitting NSW MPs]</ref> or be some contested process. In countries that adopt Westminster-style [[responsible government]], preselection is also the first step on the path to a position in [[executive (government)|the executive]]. The selected candidate is commonly referred to as the party's '''endorsed candidate'''.

'''Deselection''' or '''disendorsement''' is the opposite procedure, when the political party withdraws its support from one of its elected office-holders. The party may then select a replacement candidate at the subsequent election, or it may decide (or be compelled by the electoral timetable) to forgo contesting that seat (for example, the Liberal Party of Australia after [[Pauline Hanson]] was disendorsed just before the [[1996 Australian federal election|1996 House of Representatives election]], and likewise the Labour candidate for Moray, Stuart Maclennan, just before the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 UK general election]]). The deselected representative is usually free to still contest the election as an Independent or as a representative of another party, though they are usually at high risk of being [[Unseating|unseated]].

'''Reselection''' is the procedure of requiring candidates to repeat the preselection process to retain the party's support.

An example of a preselection procedure that gains extensive media coverage is the selection of candidates for [[President of the United States]], referred to by one observer as "the wildest democratic political bazaar in the world".<ref>John Haskell, 'A Quarter Century of Direct Democracy in Presidential Nomination Campaigns: What's the Verdict?', in Robert DiClerico (ed.), ''Political Parties, Campaigns, and Elections'', Prentice Hall, NJ, 2000, p. 31.</ref> These are generally known as [[United States presidential primary|presidential primaries]], but are actually a combination of [[Partisan primary|primary election]]s, in which voters in a jurisdiction select candidates, and [[caucus]]es, in which candidates are selected by a narrower (but still potentially large) group of party members.<ref>Kenneth Jost, 'Electing the President', ''Congressional Quarterly Researcher'', Vol. 17, No. 15, 2007, pp. 337–360.</ref><ref>James Lengle, Diana Owen and Molly Sonner, 'Divisive Primaries and Democratic Electoral Prospects', ''Journal of Politics'', Vol. 57, 1995, pp. 370–383.</ref>

In other countries, a wide variety of preselection systems exist, though the majority involve members of a political party or party executive playing a role in selecting candidates to compete in elections.<ref name="Hazan" />

==Definition==
In politics, the preselection process is the process by which [[candidate]]s who are members of a [[political party]] are selected by that party to contest an [[election]] for political office. It is a fundamental function of political parties, affecting 'representation, party cohesion, legislative behaviour and democratic stability.'<ref name="Hazan">Reuven Hazan, 'Candidate Selection', in Lawrence LeDuc, Richard Niemi and Pippa Norris (eds), ''Comparing Democracies 2'', Sage Publications, London, 2002</ref> In countries that adopt Westminster-style [[responsible government]], preselection is also the first step on the path to a position in [[executive (government)|the executive]].<ref>Michael Rush, ''The selection of parliamentary candidates'', Nelson, London, 1969, p. 9.</ref>

In Australia, the term has been in common usage since the 1920s to describe the selection of candidates by political parties for public office. One usage of the term is in describing elected public officeholders in Westminster type party systems as being ''selected'' by the voters after being ''preselected'' by their parties.<ref name=Lyle>Lyle Allan, 'Candidate Pre-selection in Australian Politics,' ''Journal for Students of Year 12 Politics'', Vol. 16, No. 4, April 1989, p.18.</ref> It derives from Australian Labor Party preselection practices that were widely used by that party before 1955.<ref name=Lyle/> These involved a two step process of a preselection ballot or plebiscite of party members and affiliated trade unionists in the electorate being contested, and endorsement, which was normally a formality, by the state executive. The ALP, as well as in some states the Liberal Party, now uses a system in which votes in the plebiscite are combined with votes from delegates selected by the party organisation.<ref>Lyle Allan, 'Ethnic Recruitment or Ethnic Branch Stacking? Factionalism and Ethnicity in the Victorian ALP,' ''People and Place,'' Vol. 8, No. 1, April 2000, p.28.</ref>

==Variables in the preselection process==
Preselection can occur in a wide variety of ways, but four main variables characterise the range of systems:
* Eligibility to stand
* Membership of the preselecting body
* System used by the body to make the choice
* Additional rules determining composition of candidates as a group.<ref name="Hazan" />

In each case, it is possible to assess the variables on a scale from "open" to "closed"<ref>Raymond Miller, ''Party Politics in New Zealand'', Oxford University Press, 2005.</ref> or from "inclusive" to "exclusive".<ref name="Hazan" />

===Eligibility to stand===

Eligibility to be a candidate in preselection is frequently bound by rules set by a political party.

Preselection may also be affected by a jurisdiction's electoral system. In Indonesia, for example, there is a system of public and administrative scrutiny of draft candidate lists. This may include examination of issues such as personal character or internal party issues, and lead to candidates being eliminated.<ref>Graham Hassall, 'Introduction: Systems of Representation in Asia-Pacific Constitutions – A Comparative Analysis', in Graham Hassall and [[Cheryl Saunders]] (eds), ''The People's Representatives: Electoral Systems in the Asia-Pacific Region'', Allen & Unwin, 1997, pp. 12–13</ref>

===Membership of the preselecting body===

[[Image:Balt. Conv. 1912 LOC 2163936972.jpg|right|thumb|Delegates to the historically significant [[1912 Democratic National Convention]].<ref>Arthur S. Link, 'The Baltimore Convention of 1912', ''The American Historical Review'', Vol. 50, No. 4, 1945, pp. 691–713.</ref>]]
The bodies that most commonly preselect candidates for political office (the selectors or "selectorate")<ref name="Hazan" /> are party members or party organisations such as a party executive or candidate selection committee.<ref>Pippa Norris, 'Legislative Recruitment', in Lawrence LeDuc, Richard Niemi and Pippa Norris (eds), ''Comparing Democracies'', Sage Publications, 1996, pp. 192–193.</ref> However, the selectors may be a broader group such as all voters or registered voters (as in some United States [[primary elections]]). Alternatively, there may be a more restricted group of selectors or selection may, in rare cases, be undertaken by an individual, such as a party leader.

===System used by the body to make the choice===

Preselection may take place by a system of voting by the selectors (examples include United States primaries and most major Australian political party preselections), or there may be a system of appointment, such as through decision by a selection committee.<ref>Of course, selection committees may themselves be governed internally by voting rules, however this need not necessarily be the case.</ref>

===Additional rules governing preselection===

Some preselections are governed by additional rules that may serve to ensure a particular composition amongst candidates as a whole, or to facilitate other party objectives such as decentralisation of decision-making.<ref name="Hazan" /> In several countries including Australia and Canada, candidate selection is normally conducted by internal party processes at the constituency or electorate level.<ref>See, for example, R.K. Carty and Lynda Erickson, 'Candidate Nomination in Canada's National Political Parties', In Herman Bakvis (ed.), ''Canadian Political Parties: Leaders, Candidates and Organisation'', Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing Research studies, Volume 13, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 1991, p. 110.</ref> However it can be possible for a regional or national party body or leader to intervene to ensure a particular candidate is preselected,<ref>However much such an intervention may be resented. See R.K. Carty and Lynda Erickson, 'Candidate Nomination in Canada's National Political Parties', In Herman Bakvis (ed.), ''Canadian Political Parties: Leaders, Candidates and Organisation'', Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing Research studies, Volume 13, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 1991, p. 110.</ref><ref>ABC News, 14 April 2016: [http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-14/tony-abbott-criticises-liberal-preselection-bronwyn-bishop/7326942 Tony Abbott criticises Liberal Party pre-selection process, confirms he's not endorsing Bronwyn Bishop]</ref> and there may be party rules governing the composition of the body of candidates as a whole that may require modification of preselection processes or outcomes, such as to implement policies directed toward gender balance. Gender balance objectives have been set by the Australian Labor Party<ref>Australian Labor Party, [http://www.labor.com.au/platform/chapter_17.php National Constitution of the ALP] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829225825/http://labor.com.au/platform/chapter_17.php |date=2007-08-29 }}, 2007, Item B 10, retrieved January 2008.</ref><ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/labors-affirmative-action-laws-invoked-in-messy-preselection-fight-for-wills-20160202-gmk5e5 Labor's affirmative action laws invoked in messy preselection fight for Wills]</ref> and the German Social Democratic Party.<ref name="Hazan" /> In Belgium, the Belgian Christian Social party set rules aimed at ensuring balanced preselection of [[Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium|Flemish and Francophone]] candidates.<ref name="Hazan" />

In the ACT Liberal party in Australia, candidates for the 2016 election were required to pay a A$3,500 "nomination fee".<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/act-news/liberal-leader-jeremy-hanson-defends-3300-preselection-nomination-fee-20160315-gnj45k.html Liberal leader Jeremy Hanson defends $3300 preselection nomination fee]</ref> There were 25 nominations for five seats. In Australia, public office-holders are required to resign those offices before nominating at a preselection. For example, the Australian Human Rights Commissioner, Tim Wilson, resigned that office in February 2016 before nominating for the Liberal Party.<ref>[http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/ministerial-material-and-a-local-needed-for-andrew-robbs-replacement-20160212-gmsqwc Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson to seek Goldstein preselection]</ref>

==Preselection controversies and scandals==
Preselection within all major Australian political parties has been the subject of accounts of "[[branch stacking]]" and abuse of process.<ref>Anika Gauja, '[http://arts.anu.edu.au/democraticaudit/papers/20060424_gauja_enf_dem.pdf Enforcing democracy? Towards a regulatory regime for the implementation of intra-party democracy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228101607/http://arts.anu.edu.au/democraticaudit/papers/20060424_gauja_enf_dem.pdf |date=2008-02-28 }}', Democratic Audit of Australia, ''Discussion Paper'' 14/06 (April 2006)</ref> While affecting both major parties,<ref>Scott Emerson, 'Liberals stack on internal poll row', ''The Australian'', 2 Mar 2000.</ref><ref>Sam Strutt, '"Most knew" of ALP vote stacking', ''Australian Financial Review'', 5 Dec 2000.</ref><ref>Fred Brenchley, 'Stacks of trouble', ''The Bulletin'', Vol. 118, No. 6232, 11 Jul 2000</ref> the [[Australian Labor Party]] was most severely affected in the state of [[Queensland]], in incidents that led to the resignation of three members of the Queensland Parliament.<ref>Bernard Lagan, 'Labor reeling after third rorts scalp', ''Sydney Morning Herald'', 11 Jan 2001.</ref> The resignations were related to allegations or admissions of [[electoral fraud]] resulting from attempts to "branch stack": to bring supporters into a party branch or electorate to assist a candidate in their bid to win party preselection.

== Deselection ==
{{Main|Deselection of Labour MPs}}

==See also==
*[[Partisan primary|Primary election]]
*[[Prospective parliamentary candidate]]
*[[United States presidential primary]]
*[[Presidential nominee#Presumptive nominee]]
*[[Candidate deselection (Labour Party)]]
*[[Unseating]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
===General===
* M. Gallagher and M. Marsh (eds), ''Candidate Selection in Comparative Perspective: The Secret Garden of Politics'', Sage, London, 1988.
*Reuven Hazan, 'Candidate Selection', in Lawrence LeDuc, Richard Niemi and Pippa Norris (eds), ''Comparing Democracies 2'', Sage Publications, London, 2002, pp.&nbsp;108–126.
* Kenneth Janda, ''{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080228101608/http://www.accessdemocracy.org/library/1948_polpart_janda_110105.pdf Adopting Party Law]}}'', National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, Washington, USA, 2005.
* Graeme Orr, 'Overseeing the Gatekeepers: Should the Preselection of Political Candidates be Regulated?', ''Public Law Review'', Vol. 12, 2001, pp.&nbsp;89–94.
* [[Austin Ranney|A. Ranney]], 'Candidate Selection',in D. Butler et al. (eds), ''Democracy at the Polls: A Comparative Study of Competitive national Elections'', [[American Enterprise Institute]], Washington DC, 1981, pp.&nbsp;75–106.

===Australia===
* Lyle Allan, 'Candidate Pre-selection in Australian Politics,' ''Journal for Students of Year 12 Politics'', Vol. 16, No. 4, April 1989, pp.&nbsp;18–24.
* Gary Johns, 'Parties, probity and preselection', ''IPA Review'', Vol. 53, No. 1, 2001, pp.&nbsp;18–19.
* [[Marian Simms]], 'Parliament and party preselection: parties and the secret garden of politics', ''Legislative Studies'', Vol. 7, No. 2, 1993, pp 42–47.

===Canada===
*R.K. Carty and Lynda Erickson, 'Candidate Nomination in Canada's National Political Parties', In Herman Bakvis (ed.), ''Canadian Political Parties: Leaders, Candidates and Organisation'', Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing Research studies, Volume 13, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 1991, pp.&nbsp;97–190.

===New Zealand===
*Raymond Miller, ''Party Politics in New Zealand'', Oxford University Press, 2005, Chapter 6: 'Selecting Candidates'.

===United Kingdom===
* [[Austin Ranney]], ''Pathways to Parliament. Candidate Selection in Britain'', Macmillan, London, 1965.
* Michael Rush, ''The selection of parliamentary candidates'', Nelson, London, 1969.
* D. Denver, 'Britain: Centralised Parties with Decentralised Selection', in M. Gallagher and M. Marsh (eds), ''Candidate Selection in Comparative Perspective: The Secret Garden of Politics'', Sage, London, 1988, pp.&nbsp;47–71.

===United States===
* John Haskell, 'A Quarter Century of Direct Democracy in Presidential Nomination Campaigns: What's the Verdict?', in Robert DiClerico (ed.), ''Political Parties, Campaigns, and Elections'', Prentice Hall, NJ, 2000, pp.&nbsp;31–44.

[[Category:Political party elections]]
[[Category:Political science terminology]]