My First Primary Election Vote after citizenship

[WBH]

I went to to vote in the state primary election and this is my first. But what I found shocked me.
In my state, the primary election is supposed to be close that one need to register as a republican
to vote for a republicna nominess and as a democrqtic to vote for a democratic nominess. But
at poll stattion, I do not see there is such control. Of course you has to sign a voting card
and indicate party but this can be different from your original registration (unless this counted as re-registration) and the voting staff tells me that I can only vote among republicn candiates or
among democratic candidates but not both.

After that I entered the voting booth. And I do notsee any control here either. ou can just
forget about your party affliation and vote any way you like.

Is this how voting is manged? Or I got it all wrong

 

[cafeconleche]

Interesting.

I just voted for the first time in my life (CA primary). I voted by mail since I am abroad. They sent me the ballots. There are some offices for which the primaries are open, and some for which you can only vote for the party for which you have indicated a preference. My ballot only had the choices for which I was allowed to vote.

 

[WBH]

Interesting.

I just voted for the first time in my life (CA primary). I voted by mail since I am abroad. They sent me the ballots. There are some offices for which the primaries are open, and some for which you can only vote for the party for which you have indicated a preference. My ballot only had the choices for which I was allowed to vote.

I know that but my confusion is that in my state, primary is closed not open but in actual voting,
it seems you still can vote any way you like. Does it mean my state depend on people's won concience
and knowledge to enforce the rule ?

 

[nwctzn]

I know that but my confusion is that in my state, primary is closed not open but in actual voting,
it seems you still can vote any way you like. Does it mean my state depend on people's won concience
and knowledge to enforce the rule ?

The ballots are electronically read and they make sure that your ballot is marked accordingly when they give it to you to cast your vote. Don't think that they will let this slip through.

 

[cafeconleche]

Hopefully, what nwctzn says is true, but you've heard of discrepancies in the voting system in the country. It's high time they made things uniform, INCLUDING THE RULES! If a bloody federal election is involved, the methods should be the same EVERYWHERE at least for those votes. I wouldn't be surprised if the wrong votes are counted, and people who should not be voting do end up voting.

 

[WBH]

The ballots are electronically read and they make sure that your ballot is marked accordingly when they give it to you to cast your vote. Don't think that they will let this slip through.

I seriously doubt it. After I signed the paper voting card that has my name and put down the party name, I went to the votin booth. Absolutely this is no
connection of any kind between my signning in and the votinhg booth and since voting is supposedly anonymous I can vote anyway I like.

 

[nwctzn]

I seriously doubt it. After I signed the paper voting card that has my name and put down the party name, I went to the votin booth. Absolutely this is no
connection of any kind between my signning in and the votinhg booth and since voting is supposedly anonymous I can vote anyway I like.

In my case there was a barcode sticker they put on the ballot when I said that I am independent but that I want to vote for the democratic primary. So the vote is anonymous, but they know from the barcode that it came from an independent voter voting for the democratic primary candidate.

--

 

[WBH]

In my case there was a barcode sticker they put on the ballot when I said that I am independent but that I want to vote for the democratic primary. So the vote is anonymous, but they know from the barcode that it came from an independent voter voting for the democratic primary candidate.

--

So the just took your word for that you were independent? If you registered as repuiblican and told them you
were independent or democratic, they would not bother to verify your orginal status. That is part of what
I described as arbitrary management of voting.

 

[nwctzn]

So the just took your word for that you were independent? If you registered as repuiblican and told them you
were independent or democratic, they would not bother to verify your orginal status. That is part of what
I described as arbitrary management of voting.

If you state at that instance that you are a republican then you enter their database directly as a republican; i.e., your registration changes to republican. Or you can change back to independent or democratic.

I also feel the primary process is not perfect, but still better than what I had in my 'original' country where there was no primary at all. So there is at least a people's choice in the candidate.

 

[WBH]

If you state at that instance that you are a republican then you enter their database directly as a republican; i.e., your registration changes to republican. Or you can change back to independent or democratic.

I also feel the primary process is not perfect, but still better than what I had in my 'original' country where there was no primary at all. So there is at least a people's choice in the candidate.

SInce Obama is teh only candidate for demiocratic party, many voters who support him can all go to vote a republican candidate who they think least likely to suceed to November election

 

[König]

SInce Obama is teh only candidate for demiocratic party, many voters who support him can all go to vote a republican candidate who they think least likely to suceed to November election

This is what happened in some states to Santorum - a lot of Democrat-leaning voters went and voted [legally] for him just for fun. He got a small boost but ultimately lost, as we all know it.

 

[grape ape]

well, whatever the issues with primaries in your state i congratulate you on you first opportunity to participate!!!!

 

[WBH]

well, whatever the issues with primaries in your state i congratulate you on you first opportunity to participate!!!!

I did get a letetr later saying I was registered as such and such and if I wanted to vote in the other party's
primary I have to change registration first. So I figured at least this time, you can re-registrate and vote
at the voting booth at the same time. I am not sure that is alwasy teh case because otherwise if
on3e can so easily change , registration does not mean anything.

 

[grape ape]

I did get a letetr later saying I was registered as such and such and if I wanted to vote in the other party's
primary I have to change registration first. So I figured at least this time, you can re-registrate and vote
at the voting booth at the same time. I am not sure that is alwasy teh case because otherwise if
on3e can so easily change , registration does not mean anything.

well however that works out, good for you, and the general elections are up next!

 

[WBH]

well however that works out, good for you, and the general elections are up next!

My present issue is I don't know who to vote in teh coming election. Neither of two candidates is my type.

 

[TheRealCanadian]

My present issue is I don't know who to vote in teh coming election. Neither of two candidates is my type.

Depending on your state, there are likely to be more than two candidates. I'm not voting for either of them.

 

[WBH]

Depending on your state, there are likely to be more than two candidates. I'm not voting for either of them.

Theere are two problems with voting for others:
(1) I don't even know names of any other candidate
(2) The chance of winning is zero

 

[TheRealCanadian]

I don't even know names of any other candidate

That's your problem, no?

The chance of winning is zero

There's more to life (and politics) than winning. Third-party candidates whose support changes the dynamic of a race attract the major parties' attention for next time.

 

[König]

The biggest problem for America is the two-party system. Many voters are forced to vote for one party even if they are only slightly aligned with some of its positions. For example, I disagree with both Republicans and Democrats, but one party is still closer to my views and beliefs. What should I do? Vote for the third unknown candidate who has no chance of winning and let another major party, that I dislike even more, win? I think that everybody would benefit if there were at least three major parties (like in the UK) to choose from.

 

[WBH]

The biggest problem for America is the two-party system. Many voters are forced to vote for one party even if they are only slightly aligned with some of its positions. For example, I disagree with both Republicans and Democrats, but one party is still closer to my views and beliefs. What should I do? Vote for the third unknown candidate who has no chance of winning and let another major party, that I dislike even more, win? I think that everybody would benefit if there were at least three major parties (like in the UK) to choose from.

Everytime a third party started to get population, one of two major parties woukld adopt some points of this third party
into their program and thus most of voters who originally would vote for the third party would vote for one of two major
parties.