Unless you can vote in open primaries, you lose that way. I'm thinking of switching from Conservative to R to vote in their primaries. In NYC, many register as dems to screw up their primaries either way, i.e. vote so hard left that the clown won't be acceptable in the general or try to get the most reasonable dem because the RINO is a loser in the general election.
You will be able to be engaged in the process if you vote in primaries. Primaries are important. This is where we must fight our battles.