Posted on 07/03/2022 5:29:10 PM PDT by cotton1706
Five years ago, Alabama native Frank Campus stood up before the Florida Constitutional Revision Commission and spoke out in support of the Sunshine State moving from “closed” to “open” primary elections.
“When I was in Alabama, on the day of the election, you declare if you’re a Democrat or a Republican and you get to vote,” Campus said about Alabama, adding that he was shocked to learn in Florida that he needed to be registered with a political party in order to participate in their primary.
Then, to laughter, he added, “You all don’t let Alabama be a better state than Florida.”
Alabama, though, could become like Florida and eight other states in closing its primary elections.
Primary elections are held to determine the nominees a party will send to the general election to face the nominee from the other party. In Alabama primary elections, voters tell the poll workers which ballot they want – Republican or Democrat – but they can’t vote in both. If there is a runoff, voters can only vote in the party in which they cast their ballot during the main primary – called crossover voting.
Alabama GOP Chairman John Wahl, in the weeks following the May 24 primary, is pushing for Alabama’s Legislature to switch from the current “open” primary to a “closed” one.
Legislation is expected to be introduced during next spring’s session, and a final determination on the future of primary elections will be decided by the supermajority GOP Legislature.
“It’s something the party has wished to do,” said state Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne. “If that is the wish of the party, then the Legislature should be able to accommodate that wish.”
(Excerpt) Read more at al.com ...
al-dot-com, one of the most liberal rags on par with the NYT. Doesn’t the same company own them both?
Good. Open primaries are a very stupid idea. Anyone could see it was an invitation to cause trouble.
In 1976 the open primary was a benefit to Reagan with many Wallace voters crossing over to support him against Ford.
I hope it works. It is about darned time they had closed primaries.
“In 1976 the open primary was a benefit to Reagan with many Wallace voters crossing over to support him against Ford.”
American politics has changed Dramatically since 1976.
Open Primaries are Republican Party Suicide.
What’s even the point of having political parties if anyone can vote in the primary selection process of who will end up representing the specific party in the general election? May as well just get rid of political party identification all together.
“ Alabama GOP Chairman John Wahl, in the weeks following the May 24 primary, is pushing for Alabama’s Legislature to switch from the current “open” primary to a “closed” one.‘
Better late than never. Open primaries was a mistake and probably helped out Katie Britt.
I agree. It is like Ranked Choice Voting. It is only there to be misused by one side, and only benefits one side.
All the talk about Republicans doing it is largely BS. We don’t possess the hive-mindset needed to do it effectively.
Yep. Like Ranked Choice Voting.
Exactly right. It is a very stupid idea.
Open primaries are stupid!
Arizona needs to have closed primaries. We have a “semi closed” primary. That mean independents can vote either party. Dems register independent and cause problems all the time.
If there’s a benefit to open primaries, it’s far outweighed by the detriment.
A closed primary also cuts out the squishy middle because an independent cannot vote in a closed primary either. You might see more third or minor parties. Or one candidate.running for.multiple parties.
Al-dot-com is full of journalists who were “C” students in college and who hate Alabama.
Good, and about damn time.
Let your political enemies take part in the process to choose your nominee.
Why are so many republican primaries open? The answer is that it is how RINOs stay in power and defeat MAGA challengers. Democrats strategically vote in open primaries for the RINO, while at least three "conservative" candidates run to dilute the vote of the MAGA candidate.
Look at GA and the POS SoS Rat-booger that won his primary by the skin of his teeth thanks to cross-over Democrat votes and Dominion.
Open elections. What could go wrong.
I changed my political party in 2008 so i could vote for the witch.
I recognized that, maybe, she was the lesser of tw great evils
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