What term describes a primary that lacks a binding commitment to vote for a candidate?

The term "Beauty Contest" refers to a type of primary election in which voters express their preference for candidates, but the results do not result in binding delegates to the nominees at the party's national convention. Essentially, it serves as a way for candidates to gauge their support among voters without a direct impact on the delegate count for the nomination, which differentiates it from more traditional primary formats that involve binding commitments.

In a Beauty Contest, the results can provide momentum or media attention for a candidate, but they do not formally determine how delegates must vote at the convention. This is particularly common in the early stages of the nominating process, where the focus is on demonstrating viability rather than securing delegates to a definitive outcome. The concept emphasizes the strategy behind candidate campaigning and voter engagement rather than strict adherence to primary rules that dictate delegate allocation based on the vote outcome.

In contrast, other types of primaries, such as closed primaries, open primaries, or blanket primaries, feature more formalized rules that typically result in binding commitments regarding delegate allocation or voter participation based on party affiliation.