You can donate and talk your head off about Bernie. Tell everyone you know why you support Sanders. Talk the issues. You CAN find and persuade D-registered people who weren't going to vote, who may not even be sure yet who Sanders is. (I did that with my roommate! And others. I'm turning a half-dozen votes. You can do the same. That's 6 times the one you are missing.)

Volunteer - let the discouragement crowd crow away in their self-importance. Sanders has the activists and the thing to do is to get them OUT THERE!!!

Consider the following link:

How many registered Democrats in New York state? Five million?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511711436

Most of them never vote in primaries. Try to change that, it's worth a lot more than a single vote. Contribute, volunteer, talk up Sanders every way you can.

You have to be a registered Dem. And it's too late to change party affiliation (deadline was October 9th, 2015).

6 months!

Voted for Bernie already because I am very concerned for the future of this country. I vote early in the progressive state of Texas.

The rule in New York is intended to keep independents and Republicans from jumping in at the last minute to subvert a private party process. If you don't like the Party's rules you should stay away from primaries.

Too bad that we didn't have a rule that a candidate had to be a Democrat for at least 6 months before he declared for the Democratic nomination.

Having it so far out is purely for control.

Last edited Mon Apr 11, 2016, 02:11 PM - Edit history (1)

The alternative is to let non-members overrule the members of a party, such as the case if a Republican like Rand Paul announced he would as running on the Libertarian ticket and hundreds of thousands of Republicans infiltrated the Libertarian primary, thus nullifying the vote of the tens of thousands of actual Libertarians. It's examples like this as to why the NY laws exist.

Basically, the question here is should everyone get a voice in a private party's primary or should only members of a party be eligible to vote. Should members of the Congressional Black Caucus allow anybody in Congress - including its white members - vote to decide on the caucus' leadership and stances on issues? It's the very same principle at play.

Unless you're currently registered as a Democrat in New York you're SOL: the registration deadline for new voters for this coming presidential primary was last month, and the deadline to change parties was sometime last year. About the only productive thing to do now is call your elected officials in Albany and give them an earful about the state's inane processes (and I wonder why my family in NY are so cynical about politicians).

I don't know, but NY is a closed primary. So, you can't vote in it unless you're a registered Democrat. Some states have open primaries and others have closed primaries. It's up to the individual state party organization, mainly, and was decided long ago.

I suppose you could campaign for Bernie, though. That might help.

That's as good as a vote.

about the perils of pretending to be above it all?

The NY Democratic Party doesn't want them having a say in picking the nominee. I think it's wrong, but that's how our system is set up.

Disagreements by with the date - which was established well before Bernie entered the race - is not a reason to claim the party doesn't want them having a say. They had every opportunity to change affiliation by the cut-off date, which was several months after Bernie declared.

is precisely why NY primaries are closed. All primaries should be that way.

The two party system hasn't worked for years for the majority of Americans, but I get the feeling you're above all that.

Maybe do some research, and explain your logic after consideration of the below:

https://scholar.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/mgilens/files/gilens_and_page_2014_-testing_theories_of_american_politics.doc.pdf

They may give you a provisional ballot.

You won't know if it will count or not, but at least it is doing something.

Though, I am most likely wrong. Any how, all one can do sometimes is do the phone banking, canvassing and donating instead, prior to the election.

Good luck!

And would just add to the "my vote didn't count" idea.

Which is why I mentioned the other options.

This is also an option, but it should really be clear that the vote might not count, and chances are, it won't.

But no, your vote doesn't count, and it shouldn't, in the Democratic Primary.

Since when do you think you have the right to vote in the elections of a private organization when you are not a member of that organization. If one of the local clubs in your area is having an election, what makes you think you can barge in and vote at the last minute and vote if you aren't a member of the club.

All of this whining and moaning is total BS. And if the Democratic party is evil in the way it sets up its rules, by all means don't join up.

...I almost forget that membership in the Democratic party is plummeting along with its proportion of electoral success.

I also now recall why people are fleeing your club.

... that has consequence. They should at that point lose all rights to participate in party primaries and caucuses.

I'll bet it wouldn't take a whole lot of Democrats to invade the Green Party nomination process and make Hillary their nominee as well. Maybe we can try that next time around.

you can't at all?

Just, I've been going through election judge training, and I was being told that the provisional ballot area for the primaries don't get much use...

So, I feel like it would give them some excitement?

You're right... it is a bad idea.

New York Dems take that shit seriously.

is wrong.

That they are trying to pass. I believe it has passed the assembly.

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2015/a9661/amendment/original

...and I wouldn't hold my breath on its being enacted anytime soon.

So are the Republicans in the legislature pushing the bill so that Republicans can interfere in Democratic primaries.

I feel very fortunate that I can vote as an indy in California

Nt

I wish they all were.

BS won it - he is their nominee.
April 19 is for another party.

vote for him then,

In a state with true democracy they would allow same-day re-registration.

ct, md, and ri are hybrid states, so indys should be able to vote dem. you could phone bank in those states to make sure the people there know that.

you could drive people to the polls

fill out a provisional ballot

phone bank and volunteer in ny.

it totally sucks. i am against all closed primaries... its undemocratic, but you can still be helpful.

Your effort will end up being not one vote but 10s to 100s of votes this is much more important that your single vote on April 19th. Will it take longer and take more effort that just voting yes but your life and hopefully the lives of others will be changed for the better. Good luck & go for it.

(For all the good it will do. Bernie's still not going to be the nominee.)