General Discussion

MineralMan

(146,317 posts) Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:00 AM Dec 2015

Only 10 States Offer Straight Ticket Voting

Alabama
Pennsylvania
Indiana
South Carolina
Iowa
Texas
Kentucky
Utah
Michigan
Oklahoma

In other states, voters must vote for each candidate separately.

North Carolina has (or used to have) a straight ticket ballot that did not include President/Vice President. Voters in that state had to vote separately for that office. I'm not sure of the status of that for the 2016 election.

23 replies

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Highlight:

Only 10 States Offer Straight Ticket Voting (Original Post) MineralMan Dec 2015 OP

I vote for each candidate and not straight ticket TexasProgresive Dec 2015 #1

I've never lived where there was straight ticket voting. MineralMan Dec 2015 #2

In Michigan 1939 Dec 2015 #3

You are never forced to vote straight ticket, it's a choice on the ballot. TexasProgresive Dec 2015 #4

Never vote a straight ticket in PA, cross-filing. nt Mnemosyne Dec 2015 #5

Stamp the Rooster DURHAM D Dec 2015 #6

I never knew that... very interesting! demmiblue Dec 2015 #8

I like the option of voting for a straight ticket (which I usually do). demmiblue Dec 2015 #7

I vote for candidates bigwillq Dec 2015 #9

So do you vote for many Republicans? philosslayer Dec 2015 #20

My ballot always has many choices Snobblevitch Dec 2015 #10

Even in states with a straight ticket option, MineralMan Dec 2015 #11

I presumed that. Snobblevitch Dec 2015 #13

Straight ticket voting was ended by the Republican legislature in Wisconsin dragonlady Dec 2015 #12

Thanks. It seems to be going away. MineralMan Dec 2015 #16

Michigan just voted to eliminate straight ticket voting Gothmog Dec 2015 #14

Thanks for that info. MineralMan Dec 2015 #15

It's a good thing that it is only 10, but bad that it is even 10. Ms. Toad Dec 2015 #17

Apparently, it's only 8 now. MineralMan Dec 2015 #18

Straight ticket voting in NC was eliminated by the Republicans who took over in 2012 mnhtnbb Dec 2015 #19

The Texas GOP tried to kill straight party voting in Texas last session but failed Gothmog Dec 2015 #21

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder gets rid of straight-party ticket voting option Gothmog Jan 2016 #22

Indiana: No more straight party ticket voting? Gothmog Jan 2016 #23

TexasProgresive

(12,157 posts)

1. I vote for each candidate and not straight ticket

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:06 AM

Dec 2015

I always vote for the dem candidate in any race. in those without a dem and there is a green running I vote for the green. That is mostly a protest vote.

MineralMan

(146,317 posts)

2. I've never lived where there was straight ticket voting.

Reply to TexasProgresive (Reply #1)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:09 AM

Dec 2015

I wouldn't like it. I want to vote for each candidate individually. I always vote for Democrats, though, unless there's not one in the race. So far that has never happened for me, either.

1939

(1,683 posts)

3. In Michigan

Reply to MineralMan (Reply #2)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:14 AM

Dec 2015

You had two choices, you could "X" at the top of the ballots and vote straight ticket or you could go down the ballot and vote race by race.

TexasProgresive

(12,157 posts)

4. You are never forced to vote straight ticket, it's a choice on the ballot.

Reply to MineralMan (Reply #2)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:14 AM

Dec 2015

So like me you can skip that and vote for each candidate.

Mnemosyne

(21,363 posts)

5. Never vote a straight ticket in PA, cross-filing. nt

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:21 AM

Dec 2015

DURHAM D

(32,610 posts)

6. Stamp the Rooster

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:35 AM

Dec 2015

in Oklahoma voting straight party for Dems is called "Stamp the Rooster". Voting straight for Repubs is "Stamp the Eagle".

The symbols were adopted and appear on the ballot for those who can't read.

demmiblue

(36,858 posts)

8. I never knew that... very interesting!

Reply to DURHAM D (Reply #6)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:56 AM

Dec 2015

That is a nice, common sense accommodation.

demmiblue

(36,858 posts)

7. I like the option of voting for a straight ticket (which I usually do).

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:45 AM

Dec 2015

I do, however, view the ballot on the internet prior to going to my precinct to vote. This way, if I have any questions regarding the candidates, I can easily research them and plan accordingly.

Options are good, imho.

bigwillq

(72,790 posts)

9. I vote for candidates

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 11:57 AM

Dec 2015

Not tickets.

philosslayer

(3,076 posts)

20. So do you vote for many Republicans?

Reply to bigwillq (Reply #9)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 01:53 PM

Dec 2015

n/t

Snobblevitch

(1,958 posts)

10. My ballot always has many choices

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 12:19 PM

Dec 2015

in which there is no oarty affiliation.

I think the option for. Oting a 'straight ticket' is one for ignorant morons.

MineralMan

(146,317 posts)

11. Even in states with a straight ticket option,

Reply to Snobblevitch (Reply #10)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 12:23 PM

Dec 2015

that only applies to partisan elections where party affiliation is declared. For all other offices and measures, you must vote individually.

Snobblevitch

(1,958 posts)

13. I presumed that.

Reply to MineralMan (Reply #11)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 12:28 PM

Dec 2015

I still think it's a system for ignorant, moronic voters.

dragonlady

(3,577 posts)

12. Straight ticket voting was ended by the Republican legislature in Wisconsin

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 12:26 PM

Dec 2015

This was part of the 2011 law that also imposed photo ID. An interesting article in the Milwaukee newspaper points out that Republicans seemed to use straight ticket more that Democrats. That article is worth a read.

MineralMan

(146,317 posts)

16. Thanks. It seems to be going away.

Reply to dragonlady (Reply #12)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 01:01 PM

Dec 2015

Gothmog

(145,291 posts)

14. Michigan just voted to eliminate straight ticket voting

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 12:54 PM

Dec 2015

MineralMan

(146,317 posts)

15. Thanks for that info.

Reply to Gothmog (Reply #14)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 01:01 PM

Dec 2015

Ms. Toad

(34,074 posts)

17. It's a good thing that it is only 10, but bad that it is even 10.

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 01:30 PM

Dec 2015

Choosing who will represent us, make laws we will be subjected to, rule on matters in a court of law, etc. is important enough that every vote should be a distinct, deliberate choice.

MineralMan

(146,317 posts)

18. Apparently, it's only 8 now.

Reply to Ms. Toad (Reply #17)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 01:39 PM

Dec 2015

Downthread, I learned that Wisconsin and Michigan have eliminated it.

mnhtnbb

(31,391 posts)

19. Straight ticket voting in NC was eliminated by the Republicans who took over in 2012

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 01:45 PM

Dec 2015

For a review of just why--gee, blame it on Obama

The tip-off of this exclusionary strategy, and indeed the whole rationale behind the sweeping changes to state election law, comes from statements by Jack Hawke, a former

NC GOP chair, former president of the Civitas Institute and former campaign manager for Pat McCrory. After the Democrats’ 2008 victory, Hawke wrote a column for the Carolina Journal explaining why the McCrory campaign fell short that year. Blame the straight ticket and early voting, he said.

“The [Obama] campaign targeted the most likely straight-ticket voters and made sure they voted early. The number of black and young voters was unprecedented,” Hawke wrote. “The Obama campaign had estimated that if 24 percent of the total vote was African-American they would carry the state. In fact, 27 percent of early voters statewide . . . were African-American.”

When you read Hawk’s explanation, you can understand how the GOP came to believe that to achieve victory it had to reverse the high turnout of black and young voters, go after straight-ticket voting and early voting, and cut same-day registration during early voting, which heavily favored youth and African-Americans.

The partisan goal of victory became completely intertwined with an anti-black, anti-youth electoral strategy, intentionally, purposefully. To recognize it as partisan does not excuse its racial and age bias. It may not be hateful, but it does hurt real people.

Gothmog

(145,291 posts)

21. The Texas GOP tried to kill straight party voting in Texas last session but failed

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Thu Dec 31, 2015, 04:39 PM

Dec 2015

Glen Maxey and the Texas Democratic Party were successful in preventing this

Gothmog

(145,291 posts)

22. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder gets rid of straight-party ticket voting option

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Tue Jan 5, 2016, 03:00 PM

Jan 2016

http://www.boynegazette.com/2016/michigan-gov-rick-snyder-gets-rid-of-straight-party-ticket-voting-option/uncategorized/74308

Gothmog

(145,291 posts)

23. Indiana: No more straight party ticket voting?

Reply to MineralMan (Original post)

Wed Jan 20, 2016, 07:59 PM

Jan 2016

Straight ticket voting may be going away in Indiana http://thevotingnews.com/no-more-straight-party-ticket-voting-21alive/

A proposal has resurfaced in the statehouse that could change the way you vote. This is the second year for the measure that would eliminate straight ticket voting. Straight ticket voting happens when you go to cast your ballot and push one button that allows you to vote for all the Republican, Democrat or Libertarian candidates in that election. Indiana is one of nine states to still allow straight ticket voting. Several state legislatures have eliminated the practice over the past few years.

Republicans representing areas near Indy brought up the measure again, saying people should not make decisions about parties, but rather individual candidates who would still have their party affiliations listed on the ballot.

Political analysts say changing the law would eliminate a traditionally Democratic majority in Indy, where most of the ballots cast there are straight party tickets for the Dems.

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