Bottom line up front, if you don’t vote in the primary elections you are throwing your vote away. 

Primary elections are conducted by government on behalf of the parties in which voters select candidates for a subsequent election.  Registered Republicans select the Republican candidate and registered Democrats select the Democrat candidate. 

If you don’t vote in the primary election then you are limited to vote for the candidates that the citizens that did participate in the primary choose. 

This also brings up the question ‘Why would you not affiliate yourself with a recognized party?’.  You may answer that I don’t like any of them.  Well that is one way to look at it, but what if you turned that around and say they don’t represent me.  Then I say to you, pick the party that most closely aligns with you and work to make it better.  If you never get involved how do you expect them to understand you?

Take a minute, write down your “I Believe” list.  Research the parties and choose one.  Stand up, be counted, and make a difference.

yes I edited this entry, typing to fast with auto spell check will get you every time.  LOL

Randy,
I totally agree. I was an independant for 18 years and finally switched because I got
tired of not being able to vote in the primaries.

i’m disappointed that no one’s calling for the parties in Maryland to hold open primaries.

if there’s someone i want to support in a primary election, i shouldn’t have to pick a party affiliation and register as such.

i do recall the Republican party having open primaries in 2000, i think it was.

what are the parties’ thoughts on this nowadays?

xcitor, I agree with you, but the way it is now is the way it is.  After all the discussions here on the DD for the past 2 years about the huge amount of issues facing CC and how the 4minusCooper are ineffective to say the least, my question is why wouldn’t anyone who’s not a registered D or R not change to one or the other for the short term?  What’s it prove to be an Independent or a Green or a Libertarian when you aren’t allowed to vote in the primary?

Open Primaries are one answer, but I think having a ballot for the 5 recognized parties in Maryland would be a better answer.  They are the Republican, Democratic, Green, Libertarian, and Constitution parties.  Primary elections are conducted by the government on behalf of the parties.  not only do registered members of each party select a candidate to take part in the general election, they also elect the members of the Central Committees.  How would you restrict people not registered in a party from voting for the Central Committee?

seahorse:

i understand where you are coming from, and to be honest, this year i came closer to registering for one of the two major parties than i have in the last 18 years or so. but going back to my point about the Republicans having an open primary in Maryland. obviously, that was after 8 years of Clinton and at that point, and it’s sort of obvious why the GOP would do that. but it seems arbitrary and self-serving. if it was good for that moment in time, then why not permanently?

Randy:

point taken, but you and i both know registering for something other than `R’ or `D’ is nothing more than an ego stroke with zero effect on reality. and as far as not those not registered with a party not voting for the Central Committee, that’s easy: their ballot doesn’t have the party central committees listed on them. just like the sample ballot i received in the mail as an unaffiliated voter has only school board candidates.

at various points in time, i think i’ve pretty much covered the major voting reforms i personally believe are necessary in various posts around here. maybe i’ll summarize for the record in a single post one of these days.

Several weeks ago, I chose to leave the ranks of the not affiliated and became a registered democrat. I didn’t do this because of a fundamental shift in my beliefs. I didn’t do it because I align my beliefs more with democrats than with republicans, or that of any other party for that matter. I chose to do it because, in this Primary Election, in Charles County, Maryland, my vote as a democrat makes more of a difference. One very important locally elected position had no republican running in the contest. Several others, only one republican was bidding for the seat. There were however, several races where my vote—as a democrat choosing between two or more other democrats—can transform the future of our County.

I didn’t change who I am. I am the same opinionated ass-hole that I was a couple weeks ago. In a couple weeks, I’ll be the same opinionated ass-hole.

Our monikers of “republican” or “democrat” are a facade to make it easy for those who do not care enough to learn even the slightest detail of the person they may be voting for to relate to. We have “republicans” that attack “democrats” for being a “democrat.” We have “democrats” that attack “republicans” for being a “republican.” In Charles County, how many campaign signs have the word “Democrat” listed along with a picture, a name and the office they’re running for? The signs say nothing else. What/why does it matter if that person is a “Democrat” or not. I’d bet, upon close examination, at least half of those touting they’re “democrats” really aren’t. But the label gets them votes. Here in Charles County we have some great candidates. Some of the candidates have been told “I’d vote for you, but you’re a republican,” or, “we would endorse you, but you’re a republican.” What kind of message does that send to candidates and to the community? A voter—and worse yet, an entire organization—is willing to write off a great candidate because of a label.

The main problem with these labels is that either side has piled negative connotations onto those labels. Both sides automatically assume the worst of someone of the other side because of the party initial that follows their name.

Die-hard party-liners take great offense to anyone who has changed affiliations, even if that individual hasn’t changed a single political view.

This election we have several candidates who have swapped parties. Some have swapped several times before. I’m not going to name names, because we all know who I’m referring to, and quite frankly, I personally don’t care and think it has no bearing on the caliber of those individuals. My choices for this election are already made—you can view them here on this site—and my vote for the Primary was already cast last week.

xcitor, I’d love to see the day when any voter can walk into the voting location and say “hand me a XX ballot” and vote for all the candidates they choose, regardless of what party that voter belongs to. I don’t think it’ll happen anytime soon. And, really, would it make any difference? The real problem lies in the partisanship that divides us.

The Quack - 13 September 2010 10:41 PM

Several weeks ago, I chose to leave the ranks of the not affiliated and became a registered democrat. I didn’t do this because of a fundamental shift in my beliefs. I didn’t do it because I align my beliefs more with democrats than with republicans, or that of any other party for that matter. I chose to do it because, in this Primary Election, in Charles County, Maryland, my vote as a democrat makes more of a difference. One very important locally elected position had no republican running in the contest. Several others, only one republican was bidding for the seat. There were however, several races where my vote—as a democrat choosing between two or more other democrats—can transform the future of our County.

I didn’t change who I am. I am the same opinionated ass-hole that I was a couple weeks ago. In a couple weeks, I’ll be the same opinionated ass-hole.

Our monikers of “republican” or “democrat” are a facade to make it easy for those who do not care enough to learn even the slightest detail of the person they may be voting for to relate to. We have “republicans” that attack “democrats” for being a “democrat.” We have “democrats” that attack “republicans” for being a “republican.” In Charles County, how many campaign signs have the word “Democrat” listed along with a picture, a name and the office they’re running for? The signs say nothing else. What/why does it matter if that person is a “Democrat” or not. I’d bet, upon close examination, at least half of those touting they’re “democrats” really aren’t. But the label gets them votes. Here in Charles County we have some great candidates. Some of the candidates have been told “I’d vote for you, but you’re a republican,” or, “we would endorse you, but you’re a republican.” What kind of message does that send to candidates and to the community? A voter—and worse yet, an entire organization—is willing to write off a great candidate because of a label.

The main problem with these labels is that either side has piled negative connotations onto those labels. Both sides automatically assume the worst of someone of the other side because of the party initial that follows their name.

Die-hard party-liners take great offense to anyone who has changed affiliations, even if that individual hasn’t changed a single political view.

This election we have several candidates who have swapped parties. Some have swapped several times before. I’m not going to name names, because we all know who I’m referring to, and quite frankly, I personally don’t care and think it has no bearing on the caliber of those individuals. My choices for this election are already made—you can view them here on this site—and my vote for the Primary was already cast last week.

xcitor, I’d love to see the day when any voter can walk into the voting location and say “hand me a XX ballot” and vote for all the candidates they choose, regardless of what party that voter belongs to. I don’t think it’ll happen anytime soon. And, really, would it make any difference? The real problem lies in the partisanship that divides us.

Quack, I agree with what you say 100%.  While I am a member of the Democratic Central Committee and committed to supporting Democratic candidates, I do not believe it is appropriate for anyone in our organization to demonize those not affilliated with our party or challenge the motives of those who change their affiliation to our party.  It’s discouraging to hear the word “Republican” uttered as if it is profane, and I just can’t get on board with vilifying an entire sector of society for the sake of a label.  Some would say that makes me a “bad” Democrat.  I can live with that.

Good luck to all candidates today.

One correction.  I don’t agree that you were or will be an ass-hole.  Opinionated, yes.  Ass-hole, no.

Thanks for your stance on that, I have said time and again that people should take a minute, write down their “I Believe” list.  Research the parties and choose one.  But if people don’t then that is their choice and should be respected.  We need to up the level of respect we give to others opinions. 

And everyone needs to get out and vote.  The turnout this morning at the La Plata polling places was very light.