<P> Campaigning for President often begins almost a year before the New Hampshire primary, almost two years before the presidential election . This is largely because federal campaign finance laws including the Federal Election Campaign Act state that a candidate who intends to receive contributions aggregating in excess of $5,000 or make expenditures aggregating in excess of $5,000, among others, must first file a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission . Thus, presidential candidates officially announce their intentions to run that early so they can start raising or spending the money needed to mount their nationwide campaigns . </P> <P> During the first six months of the year, primaries and caucuses are separately held in each state, Puerto Rico, insular areas, and the District of Columbia, Each party sets its own calendar and rules, and in some cases actually administers the election . However, to reduce expenses and encourage turnout, the major parties' primaries are usually held the same day and may be consolidated with other state elections . The primary election itself is administered by local governments according to state law . In some cases, state law determines how delegates will be awarded and who may participate in the primary; where it does not, party rules prevail . </P> <P> Since the 1970s, states have held increasingly early primaries to maximize their leverage (see Front - loading and compression below). In reaction to these moves, both the Democratic and Republican National Committees imposed a timing tier system of scheduling rules, stripping states of delegates if they move their primaries early, such as the case in both the Florida Democratic primary and the Florida Republican primary in 2008 . </P> <P> The election dates for 2016, up to and including Super Tuesday are as follows: </P>

Who decides when primaries and caucuses are held and who decides how delegates are awarded