Folks, we have arrived. After months (if not years) of prepping for the 2016 election, it’s finally here.
In November, voters will head to the polls to elect their next president. But before that, we’ve still got a long political road ahead of us, from debates to conventions to primaries and caucuses. It’s a lot to keep track of, but InsideGov has you covered with a primer of the campaign year, breaking down the major events of 2016. Here’s what to expect and when to expect it (when possible, we’ve included the time of the event).
Republican Party Primary Debate
Date: 9 p.m. Eastern, Jan. 14, 2016
Details: Fox Business will host the GOP debate, to be held in South Carolina. South Carolina is the site of the first primary in the South.
Where Republicans are debating this primary season.
Democratic Party Primary Debate
Date: 9 p.m. Eastern, Jan. 17, 2016
Details: NBC and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute will co-sponsor the Democratic debate, to be held in South Carolina.
Republican Party Primary Debate
Date: 9 p.m. Eastern, Jan. 28, 2016
Details: Fox News will host the GOP debate in Des Moines, Iowa.
Year-End Campaign Finance Data Released
Date: Jan. 31, 2016
Details: The Federal Election Commission will release candidate and super PACs fundraising figures for the fourth quarter of 2015. This will provide official fundraising totals for all of 2015.
The above map outlines the Republican primary and caucus calendar, with states in a darker shade voting earlier and states in a lighter shade voting later on in the schedule.
Iowa Caucus
Date: Feb. 1, 2016
Details: Iowa kicks off the caucus and primary season with the first time voters select their preferred candidate. Democrats and Republicans have their caucuses on the same day.
Republican Party Primary Debate
Date: Feb. 6, 2016
Details: ABC News will host this Republican debate in Manchester, N.H.
New Hampshire Primary
Date: Feb. 9, 2016
Details: New Hampshire is the site of the first primary votes of the 2016 election. Democrats and Republicans will go to the polls.
Democratic Party Primary Debate
Date: Feb. 11, 2016
Details: In a rare weekday showing, Democrats will debate on Thursday, Feb. 11, in Wisconsin. PBS will host.
Republican Party Primary Debate
Date: 9 p.m. Eastern, Feb. 13, 2016
Details: CBS News will host the Republican debate in South Carolina.
South Carolina Primary, Republicans
Date: Feb. 20, 2016
Details: In the first primary in a Southern state, Republicans will go to the polls in South Carolina.
Nevada Caucus, Democrats
Date: Feb. 20, 2016
Details: Nevada sees the first caucus in the West, when Democrats pick their preferred candidate.
Nevada Caucus, Republicans
Date: Feb. 23, 2016
Details: Republicans select their favorite candidates during Nevada’s caucus.
Republican Party Primary Debate
Date: Feb. 26, 2016
Details: NBC and Telemundo were supposed to co-sponsor this debate, but a dustup after the CNBC debate in October caused the Republican Party to pull out of the agreement. As of this writing, the National Review will host the Republicans in Houston, although it is unknown where the debate will be aired.
South Carolina Primary, Democrats
Date: Feb. 27, 2016
Details: The South will see its first Democratic primary of the cycle, when South Carolina has its primary for the Dems.
Super Tuesday (aka SEC Primary)
Date: March 1, 2016
Details: A bunch of states have their primary or caucus on the first Tuesday in March — voters will pick their favorites in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia. In Alaska, North Dakota and Wyoming, Republicans will make their selection, while Democrats in American Samoa will caucus.
Republican Party Primary Debate
Date: March 2016, exact date TBA
Details: Fox News is slated to host a debate sometime in March for the remaining Republican candidates.
Democratic Party Primary Debate
Date: March 9, 2016
Details: Democrats will meet for the last time in the primary season for a debate co-sponsored by Univision and the Washington Post. The debate will take place in Miami.
Where Democrats are debating this primary season.
Republican Party Primary Debate
Date: March 10, 2016
Details: CNN will host the GOP candidates in Florida for the final Republican debate of the primary season.
Multiple State Primaries (aka Super Tuesday, Pt. II)
Date: March 15, 2016
Details: Two weeks after Super Tuesday, voters in another big batch of states will head to the polls. Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio all have their primaries that day.
1st Quarter Campaign Finance Data Released
Date: April 15, 2016
Details: The Federal Election Commission will release candidate and super PAC fundraising figures for the first quarter of 2016.
Northeast Primary
Date: April 26, 2016
Details: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island all have their primaries at the end of April.
Final Primary Votes
Date: June 7, 2016
Details: The last day of primary voting for the 2016 presidential election. California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota hold their primaries, while Democrats in North Dakota will caucus.
The above map outlines the Democratic primary and caucus calendar, with states in a darker shade voting earlier and states in a lighter shade voting later on in the schedule.
2nd Quarter Campaign Finance Data Released
Date: July 15, 2016
Details: The Federal Election Commission will release candidate and super PAC fundraising figures for the second quarter of 2016. This will provide a snapshot of fundraising successes for the first half of 2016.
Republican National Convention
Date: July 18-21, 2016
Details: Republicans will gather in Cleveland for a four-day convention in which they will officially select their president and VP picks for the 2016 general election.
Democratic National Convention
Date: July 25-28, 2016
Details: Democrats will officially select their candidates for president and vice president for the 2016 general election. The four-day convention will take place in Philadelphia.
1st General Election Debate, President
Date: Sept. 26, 2016
Details: The Republican and Democratic presidential candidates will face off for the first time in the general election during a debate in Ohio.
3rd Quarter Campaign Finance Data Released
Date: Oct. 15, 2016
Details: The Federal Election Commission will release fundraising data from July 1 to Sept. 30.
General Election Debate, Vice President
Date: Oct. 4, 2016
Details: The candidates for vice president will meet for the first and only time during a debate in Virginia.
2nd General Election Debate, President
Date: Oct. 9, 2016
Details: The presidential candidates will meet for their second general election debate in St. Louis.
3rd General Election Debate, President
Date: Oct. 19, 2016
Details: The presidential candidates will debate for the third and final time in Las Vegas.
Pre-General Election Campaign Finance Data Released
Date: Oct. 27, 2016
Details: The Federal Election Commission will release campaign finance data covering Oct. 1-Oct. 19, providing one last snapshot at how much money candidates and super PACs are pulling in for the general election.
Election Day
Date: Nov. 8, 2016
Details: The big day! Voters throughout the U.S. will head to the polls to pick a new president and VP.
Post-General Election Campaign Finance Data Released
Date: Dec. 8, 2016
Details: The Federal Election Commission will release about five weeks’ worth of data that will show how much money candidates and super PACs brought in during the final days before the election.
Inauguration Day
Date: Jan. 20, 2017
Details: The new president and vice president will be sworn in on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Year-End Campaign Finance Data Released
Date: Jan. 31, 2017
Details: The Federal Election Commission will release data that reveals the final campaign finance totals for 2016.
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