Later this year, millions of Americans will head out to polling places to pick the next leader of the nation. Between now and then, caucuses, primaries and polls — and the usual campaign missteps — will help winnow down the field. In this special section, we take a look at the candidates who are in the running with months of campaigning still to go before Election Day, Nov. 8, rolls around this year.
Some key dates in 2016 on the road to the White House:
Feb. 1: Iowa got things started with its caucus.
Feb. 9: Likewise, presidential primaries start in February. New Hampshire is first. Only two other states are allowed nomination contests earlier than March 1: South Carolina and Nevada.
Feb. 20: South Carolina Republican primary, Nevada Democrat Presidential Caucus. Washington State Republican Caucus.
Feb. 23: Nevada's Republican Presidential Caucus.
Feb. 27: South Carolina Democrat Primay.
March 1: Georgia and Texas take part in the "SEC primary." The college athletics-themed primary includes mostly states from the Southeast. Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp is considered its inventor. Also holding primaries: Alabama, Arkansas, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vermont and Virginia.
March 5: Louisiana holds it presidential primary, Kansas holds a caucus for both parties, Maine has a Republican caucus and Nebraska has a Democrat caucus.
March 6: Maine Democrats hold a caucus. Republican primary in Puerto Rico.
March 8: Michigan and Mississippi hold primaries. Idaho has a Republican primary. Hawaii holds a Republican caucus.
March 15: Ohio and Florida are among the states holding their primaries, along with Illinois, Missouri and North Carolina.
June: Caucuses and primaries are expected to last until the year is almost halfway over. Several states have not yet finalized the dates for their events.
July 18–21: The Republican National Convention will be held at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
July 25–28: The Democratic National Convention will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, with some events at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Meet the Candidates: Republican Candidates for President | Democrat Candidates for President
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