Super Tuesday!
As you all probably know, today is Super Tuesday - the day that voters in 24 states, including New York, head to the polls to vote in the primary elections. If you don’t know where your polling place is, or need other information, you can check out the city’s Voter Assistance Commission page for information, including how to locate your polling site.
Since I am registered as independent - not affiliated with any political party - I can’t vote in the primaries here in New York. This works differently state to state, so I’m interested to find out people’s opinions on this. In California, where I used to live, primaries used to be the same way - you could only vote in the primary of the party you were registered in. A few years ago, a petition was circulated to add a measure to the ballot that would allow registered voters who were not affiliated with a political party to vote in any party’s primary election, and it passed. (However, it’s up the political party to allow independents to vote in their primary election, and only the Democrats and the American Independent Party are allowing it for this primary.)
In some states, voters do not register with any party affiliation, so they are allowed to vote in any party’s primary. Some states operate like California, where only non-affiliated voters can vote in a party they’re not registered in. And some states are like New York, where non-affiliated voters are out of luck. What do you think about this? Are you a frustrated independent/non-affiliated voter who wants to vote in the primary? Are you a party hardliner who doesn’t want us wishy-washy independents mucking up your election? Should we change how it works or keep it the same? What do you think?
I only just discovered this today!
just got back from voting, or attempting to vote, for Obama but was turned away!!! There were only 2 other people in the whole place voting (not a good sign in NYC, I thought) and I mentioned I was surprised not to have gotten anything in the mail (they usually mail reminders); when I got to my designated booth I was told that since I wasn’t a registered democrat, I couldn’t vote in the primary! I’m a registered Independent and apparently am being punished for independent thinking! It’s absurd. Why am I allowed to vote in November but not allowed to choose who I want in the primary. Grrrrr!
With the rampant apathy in this country, you’d think they’d make it easier to vote!
I would happily sign a petition, as in California, to have our primaries opened. I have just found out that several friends (also planning to vote for Obama) were unaware that being registered independent prohibited them from casting their vote,
I only just discovered this today!
just got back from voting, or attempting to vote, for Obama but was turned away!!! There were only 2 other people in the whole place voting (not a good sign in NYC, I thought) and I mentioned I was surprised not to have gotten anything in the mail (they usually mail reminders); when I got to my designated booth I was told that since I wasn’t a registered democrat, I couldn’t vote in the primary! I’m a registered Independent and apparently am being punished for independent thinking! It’s absurd. Why am I allowed to vote in November but not allowed to choose who I want in the primary. Grrrrr!
With the rampant apathy in this country, you’d think they’d make it easier to vote!
I would happily sign a petition, as in California, to have our primaries opened. I have just found out that several friends (also planning to vote for Obama) were unaware that being registered independent prohibited them from casting their vote.
In a word– NO!!! The idea of having people who do not belong to a political party involved in picking it’s candidate destroys the whole reason primaries exist and greatly reduces the chance of a real debate about issues and political philosophy.