Quick questions on registering to vote...

Dustin Kesselberg · 22nd January 2007, 05:25 PM

I have not registered to vote yet and I have heard that if you are registered with a specific party you can only vote in that parties primary elections and are unable to vote for any other parties primary elections. For instance, If you are a Republican you can only vote in the republican primary elections and not the democratic primary elections. Is this true? Does this mean Independents can not vote in any primary?

Secondly,If you registered as a Democrat and want to Switch to Republican or Vise versa..Is it possible to do this? How often can you do this? How often can you switch parties?

Thirdly, Is it when you register to vote you decide which party you will be a member of? How does that work exactly?

Thanks

Darth Rotor · 22nd January 2007, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by Dustin

I have not registered to vote yet and I have heard that if you are registered with a specific party you can only vote in that parties primary elections and are unable to vote for any other parties primary elections. For instance, If you are a Republican you can only vote in the republican primary elections and not the democratic primary elections. Is this true? Does this mean Independents can not vote in any primary?
Thanks

Yes. I don't vote in primaries here in Texas, and do date it hasn't mattered.

You need to contact your local registrar to get details on party affiliation switching.

DR

Dustin Kesselberg · 4th April 2007, 09:59 PM

No one can answer my specific questions?

Foolmewunz · 4th April 2007, 10:09 PM

Afraid you're going to need 50 experts unless you specify a state.
Voter registration (even in Presidential elections) is controlled by the states. In some states you have to be a party member to vote in that party's primaries, and in others you can cross over.

Cylinder · 4th April 2007, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by Dustin

No one can answer my specific questions?

Which state? In Arkansas - an open primary state - I can show up on primary day and ask for a Democratic ballot even though I am a registered Republican.

Wiki lists the open primary states as Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

In closed primary states, voters need to change party affiliation to reflect the primary in which one wishes to participate. I doubt any restriction on the number of changes or time period between changes would pass Constitutional muster but I bet their is a deadline to make the change before the primary election at whatever date the final official roll is compiled.

Louisiana has a run-off election instead of primaries so two Ds often appear on the ballot in the same general election.

Dustin Kesselberg · 4th April 2007, 10:27 PM

I'm speaking of the National elections. Not state elections.

Foolmewunz · 4th April 2007, 10:31 PM

Interesting topic, so I did some googling.

http://www.ok.gov/~elections/voterreg.html

Oklahoma - "closed primary system"

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections...r_information/

Georgia = "open" (i.e. anyone can vote for any primary candidate)

Generally, you'd think that certain bastions of "liberal" thinking like New York and New Jersey would be "open", but the tendency seems to be that where state legislatures have been under the control of a given party, they close the primaries to avoid having unaffiliated voters "tainting" the party primaries. I don't know that there's ever been such a case, but it could be conceivable that if (say) New York allowed crossover votes, in (say) the primary for Senate, all the Democrats, knowing the Hillary is a lock for the nomination, could crossover and nominate Elmer Fudd for the Republicans. I presume this is the logic (along with pure self-serving instinct) behind it.

Interesting case is California.
http://ca.lwv.org/lwvc/edfund/elections/e3primary.html

I don't know how many other states handle it this way, but if I read the LWV site correctly, evidently unaffiliated or independent voters can request the primary ballot of either major party (but not both), if they're interested in voting in that party's primary. Seems a fair system.

Foolmewunz · 4th April 2007, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by Dustin

I'm speaking of the National elections. Not state elections.

The national elections are held in the states and run by the states and by the state laws. Thus, the "primary" rules apply to state-wide, city-wide, or national primaries.

Dustin Kesselberg · 4th April 2007, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by Foolmewunz

The national elections are held in the states and run by the states and by the state laws. Thus, the "primary" rules apply to state-wide, city-wide, or national primaries.

Is it possible to vote in a state you don't live in simply to vote in the primaries of another party?

How about independents? When you register to vote do you specify your political affiliation? What are the choices generally? If you are an independent can you vote in both primaries?

Foolmewunz · 4th April 2007, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by Dustin

Is it possible to vote in a state you don't live in simply to vote in the primaries of another party?

How about independents? When you register to vote do you specify your political affiliation? What are the choices generally? If you are an independent can you vote in both primaries?

First question - no. Only if you move to that state and satisfy whatever the local residency laws are.

Second question - Yes, you state your party affiliation (if any) when you register.

Third question - Democrat, Republican, and various third and fourth parties.

Fourth question - Depends on "open" versus "closed" rules. Click on one of the state links; they put the case pretty coherently, and it'll probably help put it in perspective. Actually - I just re-read your question.... I believe the answer is "No", you can vote in EITHER primary, but not both, I believe... but I could be wrong about that.

Foolmewunz · 4th April 2007, 11:21 PM

Dustin,
Is all of this linked to the fact that you're a complete "expatriate", i.e. have no formal domicile in the USA?
I live in Hong Kong, but I have a co-op in New York (where my ex-wife is happily entrenched until we both retire and sell it), so I vote in New York elections. I haven't known anyone over here who had no state or local affiliation, mailing address, domicile, or whatever you want to call it.

If that's the case, I'm going to guess they'd consider your last abode, perhaps? But it's something you probably ought to ask the local consulate. I'm sure there are wandering expats in Asia who have the same situation but I'm in a fairly white collar world now, so I haven't encountered any.

ETA:
BTW, the best source of voter registration information is likely The League of Women Voters. They are virtually synonymous with voter registration; it's nearly their raison d'etre. I'm sure they'd be helpful.

Cylinder · 5th April 2007, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by Foolmewunz

The national elections are held in the states and run by the states and by the state laws.

Yup - in the US there are no national elections.

Alt+F4 · 5th April 2007, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by Dustin

How about independents? When you register to vote do you specify your political affiliation? What are the choices generally? If you are an independent can you vote in both primaries?

I live in New York State and am an independent. When I registered I checked the box that said something along the lines of "no party afflication". I can not vote in any primaries.

Just thinking · 5th April 2007, 09:26 AM

Just to make a point -- I believe one of the main reasons some places do not let registered party individuals (or non-affiliated voters) vote in opposing primaries (Republican voting in a Democrat primary) is to prevent the opposing party from influencing its outcome. In other words, helping get in a candidate that would be less likely to win nationally.

Skeptic Ginger · 5th April 2007, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by Dustin

No one can answer my specific questions?

In the primary vote, it is governed by state law. Look up the law in your state.

Edited to add, I see this has already been pointed out. In WA State, we have a caucus system to pick party candidates then it switched to primaries but the vote is only advisory and the caucus still picks the candidates. People are upset they can't vote across parties to pick candidates but they forget it is a "party" not a general election. To have people vote across party lines in a primary would be like having a union election and allowing people from other unions to vote in yours.

WildCat · 5th April 2007, 03:55 PM

You don't register for any party in Illinois, you just ask for a Republican, Democratic, or whatever ballot. But you can only vote in one party's primary.

22nd January 2007, 05:25 PM	#1
Dustin Kesselberg Usus magister est optimus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma Posts: 4,673	Quick questions on registering to vote... I have not registered to vote yet and I have heard that if you are registered with a specific party you can only vote in that parties primary elections and are unable to vote for any other parties primary elections. For instance, If you are a Republican you can only vote in the republican primary elections and not the democratic primary elections. Is this true? Does this mean Independents can not vote in any primary? Secondly,If you registered as a Democrat and want to Switch to Republican or Vise versa..Is it possible to do this? How often can you do this? How often can you switch parties? Thirdly, Is it when you register to vote you decide which party you will be a member of? How does that work exactly? Thanks
	__________________

22nd January 2007, 07:41 PM	#2
Darth Rotor Salted Sith Cynic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rat cheer Posts: 34,224	Originally Posted by Dustin I have not registered to vote yet and I have heard that if you are registered with a specific party you can only vote in that parties primary elections and are unable to vote for any other parties primary elections. For instance, If you are a Republican you can only vote in the republican primary elections and not the democratic primary elections. Is this true? Does this mean Independents can not vote in any primary? Thanks Yes. I don't vote in primaries here in Texas, and do date it hasn't mattered. You need to contact your local registrar to get details on party affiliation switching. DR
	__________________ Helicopters don't so much fly as beat the air into submission. "Jesus wept, but did He laugh?"--F.H. Buckley____"There is one thing that was too great for God to show us when He walked upon our earth ... His mirth." --Chesterton__"If the barbarian in us is excised, so is our humanity."--D'rok__ "I only use my gun whenever kindness fails."-- Robert Earl Keen__"Sturgeon spares none.". -- The Marquis

4th April 2007, 09:59 PM	#3
Dustin Kesselberg Usus magister est optimus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma Posts: 4,673	No one can answer my specific questions?
	__________________

4th April 2007, 10:09 PM	#4
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pattaya, Thailand Posts: 20,500	Afraid you're going to need 50 experts unless you specify a state. Voter registration (even in Presidential elections) is controlled by the states. In some states you have to be a party member to vote in that party's primaries, and in others you can cross over.
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Don't you wish someone had slapped baby Hitler really really hard? [i] Dr. Buzzo 02/13 [i]

4th April 2007, 10:17 PM	#5
Cylinder Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,827	Originally Posted by Dustin No one can answer my specific questions? Which state? In Arkansas - an open primary state - I can show up on primary day and ask for a Democratic ballot even though I am a registered Republican. Wiki lists the open primary states as Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. In closed primary states, voters need to change party affiliation to reflect the primary in which one wishes to participate. I doubt any restriction on the number of changes or time period between changes would pass Constitutional muster but I bet their is a deadline to make the change before the primary election at whatever date the final official roll is compiled. Louisiana has a run-off election instead of primaries so two Ds often appear on the ballot in the same general election.
	__________________ If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed ; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than live as slaves. - Winston Churchill, The Gathering Storm

4th April 2007, 10:27 PM	#6
Dustin Kesselberg Usus magister est optimus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma Posts: 4,673	I'm speaking of the National elections. Not state elections.
	__________________

4th April 2007, 10:31 PM	#7
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pattaya, Thailand Posts: 20,500	Interesting topic, so I did some googling. http://www.ok.gov/~elections/voterreg.html Oklahoma - "closed primary system" http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections...r_information/ Georgia = "open" (i.e. anyone can vote for any primary candidate) Generally, you'd think that certain bastions of "liberal" thinking like New York and New Jersey would be "open", but the tendency seems to be that where state legislatures have been under the control of a given party, they close the primaries to avoid having unaffiliated voters "tainting" the party primaries. I don't know that there's ever been such a case, but it could be conceivable that if (say) New York allowed crossover votes, in (say) the primary for Senate, all the Democrats, knowing the Hillary is a lock for the nomination, could crossover and nominate Elmer Fudd for the Republicans. I presume this is the logic (along with pure self-serving instinct) behind it. Interesting case is California. http://ca.lwv.org/lwvc/edfund/elections/e3primary.html I don't know how many other states handle it this way, but if I read the LWV site correctly, evidently unaffiliated or independent voters can request the primary ballot of either major party (but not both), if they're interested in voting in that party's primary. Seems a fair system.
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Don't you wish someone had slapped baby Hitler really really hard? [i] Dr. Buzzo 02/13 [i]

4th April 2007, 10:33 PM	#8
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pattaya, Thailand Posts: 20,500	Originally Posted by Dustin I'm speaking of the National elections. Not state elections. The national elections are held in the states and run by the states and by the state laws. Thus, the "primary" rules apply to state-wide, city-wide, or national primaries.
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Don't you wish someone had slapped baby Hitler really really hard? [i] Dr. Buzzo 02/13 [i]

4th April 2007, 10:36 PM	#9
Dustin Kesselberg Usus magister est optimus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma Posts: 4,673	Originally Posted by Foolmewunz The national elections are held in the states and run by the states and by the state laws. Thus, the "primary" rules apply to state-wide, city-wide, or national primaries. Is it possible to vote in a state you don't live in simply to vote in the primaries of another party? How about independents? When you register to vote do you specify your political affiliation? What are the choices generally? If you are an independent can you vote in both primaries?
	__________________

4th April 2007, 11:15 PM	#10
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pattaya, Thailand Posts: 20,500	Originally Posted by Dustin Is it possible to vote in a state you don't live in simply to vote in the primaries of another party? How about independents? When you register to vote do you specify your political affiliation? What are the choices generally? If you are an independent can you vote in both primaries? First question - no. Only if you move to that state and satisfy whatever the local residency laws are. Second question - Yes, you state your party affiliation (if any) when you register. Third question - Democrat, Republican, and various third and fourth parties. Fourth question - Depends on "open" versus "closed" rules. Click on one of the state links; they put the case pretty coherently, and it'll probably help put it in perspective. Actually - I just re-read your question.... I believe the answer is "No", you can vote in EITHER primary, but not both, I believe... but I could be wrong about that.
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Don't you wish someone had slapped baby Hitler really really hard? [i] Dr. Buzzo 02/13 [i]

4th April 2007, 11:21 PM	#11
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pattaya, Thailand Posts: 20,500	Dustin, Is all of this linked to the fact that you're a complete "expatriate", i.e. have no formal domicile in the USA? I live in Hong Kong, but I have a co-op in New York (where my ex-wife is happily entrenched until we both retire and sell it), so I vote in New York elections. I haven't known anyone over here who had no state or local affiliation, mailing address, domicile, or whatever you want to call it. If that's the case, I'm going to guess they'd consider your last abode, perhaps? But it's something you probably ought to ask the local consulate. I'm sure there are wandering expats in Asia who have the same situation but I'm in a fairly white collar world now, so I haven't encountered any. ETA: BTW, the best source of voter registration information is likely The League of Women Voters. They are virtually synonymous with voter registration; it's nearly their raison d'etre. I'm sure they'd be helpful.
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Don't you wish someone had slapped baby Hitler really really hard? [i] Dr. Buzzo 02/13 [i]

5th April 2007, 12:04 AM	#12
Cylinder Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,827	Originally Posted by Foolmewunz The national elections are held in the states and run by the states and by the state laws. Yup - in the US there are no national elections.
	__________________ If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed ; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than live as slaves. - Winston Churchill, The Gathering Storm

5th April 2007, 08:04 AM	#13
Alt+F4 diabolical globalist Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Department of Abandoned Places Posts: 9,768	Originally Posted by Dustin How about independents? When you register to vote do you specify your political affiliation? What are the choices generally? If you are an independent can you vote in both primaries? I live in New York State and am an independent. When I registered I checked the box that said something along the lines of "no party afflication". I can not vote in any primaries.
	__________________ "My folks touched a lot of kids." - Jerry Sandusky

5th April 2007, 09:26 AM	#14
Just thinking Philosopher Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,169	Just to make a point -- I believe one of the main reasons some places do not let registered party individuals (or non-affiliated voters) vote in opposing primaries (Republican voting in a Democrat primary) is to prevent the opposing party from influencing its outcome. In other words, helping get in a candidate that would be less likely to win nationally.
	__________________ Our greatest challenge is not just to ask the important questions, but to recognize the meaningless ones. Last edited by Just thinking; 5th April 2007 at 09:28 AM.

5th April 2007, 03:15 PM	#15
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,489	Originally Posted by Dustin No one can answer my specific questions? In the primary vote, it is governed by state law. Look up the law in your state. Edited to add, I see this has already been pointed out. In WA State, we have a caucus system to pick party candidates then it switched to primaries but the vote is only advisory and the caucus still picks the candidates. People are upset they can't vote across parties to pick candidates but they forget it is a "party" not a general election. To have people vote across party lines in a primary would be like having a union election and allowing people from other unions to vote in yours.
	__________________ (Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.) Last edited by Skeptic Ginger; 5th April 2007 at 03:26 PM.*

5th April 2007, 03:55 PM	#16
WildCat NWO Master Conspirator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Albany Park, Chicago Posts: 48,957	You don't register for any party in Illinois, you just ask for a Republican, Democratic, or whatever ballot. But you can only vote in one party's primary.