South Carolina: Is it an Open Primary? Can Democrats vote for a Republican?

FREEPers

[Between the Lines]

Personally, I don't think it's fair for non-Republicans to vote for Republican candidates.

South Carolina has traditionally been a one party state. Most times in a one party state, the majority party candidate runs unopposed in the general election. So if you are not a member of the majority party or were an independent you would have absolutely no say in who runs your government. That is unless you are able to vote in the primaries.

When I first moved to South Carolina I always voted in the Democratic primaries because the Republicans seldom could find enough candidates to run for office and the majority of races had no Republican candidate at all. By being able to vote in the Democrat primary, I could choose the most conservative of the Dems running (There are quite a number of conservative Dems here in SC) and have a voice in my government.

Times have changed and now my county (York) is largely Republican and there are more and more seats that are going unopposed by the Dems. And I have no problem with the Democrats or Independents voting in the Republican primaries. Open primaries ensure that everyone can have a voice in our government.

I realize that presidential races never go unopposed and it would be great if only those belonging to a party could vote in that party's primary. But to do that we would have to require everyone to register by party affiliation and I would be against that.

South Carolina is a one party state. It used to be that the Democratic party was in, but now it is the Republican party. They were fair enough to let us vote in their primaries for a century, I think we can be as fair also.