Does YOUR state have Open Primary Elections? (Want another moderate?)(vanity)

[Political Junkie Too]

If I'm remembering the last ballot propositions in California, we just eliminated partisan primaries altogether and went to a system where the top two vote-getters in an open primary advance to the general election.

-PJ

[Sun]

Here’s a libDem that wanted to help McCain:

“Lieberman Asks Dems and Independents To Vote McCain

January 15, 2008 3:15 PM

ABC News’ Bret Hovell Reports: Sen. Joseph Lieberman called on Michigan’s Independents and Democrats on Tuesday to come out and vote for Sen. John McCain in the Republican primary,..”

more http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/01/lieberman-asks.html

Anybody here like the idea of a libDem affecting REPUBLICAN primaries?

[trumandogz]

And that was only after the Democrats essentially cancelled the Michigan Primary.

Now, can you find polling data or turnout date that show a significant trend of Democrats crossing party lines to vote in a GOP Primary?

[Core_Conservative]

If that’s the case - then the primaries for the parties should be eliminated. (Which could save a boatload of money for the States, Counties, and Local Municipalities - as well as clear our landscape of all kinds of crappy sign-age until the election gets closer - It would also save the campaigns a great deal of cash until they need it) JMHO

[stormer]

My state has a “top two” open primary. The top two vote getters move onto the general. Simple, no party registration, and the likelihood of hijinks reduced.

[newzjunkey]

It's hard to keep track but I think CA suckers voters adopted an open primary system which will have the top two vote getters on the general election ballot without regard for party

We could end up with only Democrats to pick from. The new CA rules appear to cover all races except the presidential primary.

I don't know what our system is now for presidential primaries, nor do I care much. Most state's voters are irrelevant to choosing the primary winners for each party anyway.

[napscoordinator]

I am not sure if Pennsylvania is an open primary or not. I just go and vote absentee since I am in the military, but I do know that many times by April (our primary) the list of candidates are either down to a few or the candidate is named.

[newzjunkey]

I thought that too and double-checked, Prop 14 eliminated partisan primaries for everything except the presidential in CA.

[Jedidah]

When I vote in a party’s primary, the election judge stamps the name of that party on my voter registration card. I am then a part of that primary until the end of that calendar year.

It’s the way we “register” in Texas. There is no other formal registration method.

My allegiances change, because candidates and parties and issues and circumstances change.

I’ve kept my spouse for decades, as I swore before God to do. My loyalty to family, friends, principles is unwavering.

Politics is different.

[Political Junkie Too]

Thanks. I wasn’t sure.

[Sun]

According to the link in Post 19, PA does not have Open Primaries, and thank you for your service.

[Sun]

FYI

[who knows what evil?]

I'm sure McCain knew the Dems and Independents were the deciding factor for his "Comeback Kid" win.

That was the case in New Hampshire...the state that revived his moribund campaign and gave him the momentum he needed at the time...

Thanks, New Hampshire. :-(

[who knows what evil?]

That's how McCain won, I believe. He won the Open Primary in the early primary voting states, which gave him momentum.

You are correct...Republicans chose Romney in the New Hampshire GOP Primary in 2008, but 'independents' pushed McCain over the top.

[Sun]

“but ‘independents’ pushed McCain over the top.”

So I wonder what voters in the Open Primary states can do about this? Contact their state senators? Contact the state GOP?

[who knows what evil?]

Unfortunately, that is the way the State GOP in New Hampshire likes it. They have a track record of undercutting conservatives here ‘in the interest of fair play’. (I guess allowing actual REPUBLICANS to choose their candidate isn’t considered ‘fair play’.) I don’t think the national GOP has the power to force NH to bend to their will. Other states have tried to put their primaries ahead of NH, but NH just moved theirs up...used to be in March; now in January. They believe they are ‘kingmakers’, and that is they way they like it.

[Sun]

Maybe the NH registered Republican voters should tell the NH GOP that they will pull their registration if there is no advantage to being a REGISTERED Republican.

[deport]

GOP state by state primary process: http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/R-DSVE.phtml

The following is a state by state tenative election date:
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/events.phtml?s=c

GOP Delegate Allocation:
http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/R-Alloc.phtml

[Sun]

Your links look very interesting. I’ll check them out.

[deport]

The Greenpapers website is very informational regarding Presidential elections, imo.