2016 Postmortem

portlander23

(2,078 posts) Fri Jun 3, 2016, 08:23 AM Jun 2016

Could strange ballot rules hurt Bernie Sanders' chances in California?

Could strange ballot rules hurt Bernie Sanders' chances in California?
EMILY SCHULTHEIS
CBS NEWS

Next Tuesday here in California, 2.2 million people registered as "Decline to State" or nonpartisan voters will be eligible to cast a vote in the heated Democratic primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

But because of the state's somewhat confusing rules for balloting, many of them will turn in ballots without actually casting a vote for either presidential candidate in the process--a quirk of the system that could end up costing Sanders votes he desperately needs to help him close the gap with Clinton.

Under California's election rules, nonpartisan voters can cast a ballot in the Democratic primary, but they must specifically request a Democratic ballot in order to receive one in the mail with Sanders' and Clinton's names on it. Those who didn't either request a Democratic ballot by Tuesday, May 31, or show up to vote in person on primary day and request a Democratic ballot there, are limited to voting in local races.

What's more, once someone has turned in a ballot--even if they later realize it was the wrong one and didn't include presidential races--they can't fill out another one.

12 replies

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Could strange ballot rules hurt Bernie Sanders' chances in California? (Original Post) portlander23 Jun 2016 OP

That's idiotic to automatically LIMIT voting. If someone wants to vote, let them automatically get Dustlawyer Jun 2016 #1

If they did that, people would try voting in more than one race, which you can't do. CrowCityDem Jun 2016 #2

Unaffiliated registered voters can vote on three MineralMan Jun 2016 #3

What? Poll workers aren't required to have ESP? Retrograde Jun 2016 #5

Guess not. And some NPP voters don't even want to vote in a MineralMan Jun 2016 #7

I heard that the Clinton camp is telling poll workers to give ONLY a Provisional Ballot, NorthCarolina Jun 2016 #4

I believe that was limited to some Orange County poll worker training. MineralMan Jun 2016 #9

"somewhat confusing rules for balloting" Tarc Jun 2016 #6

Well, in fairness, many of them may be voting for the very first time. MineralMan Jun 2016 #8

From the looks of it on the ground...they learned their lesson in other states. anotherproletariat Jun 2016 #10

Anything would seem strange to an outsider which is the case for Emily Schultheis. LiberalFighter Jun 2016 #11

From earlier reporting, I believe the ballot they need to ask for is a Democratic Crossover Ballot Samantha Jun 2016 #12

Dustlawyer

(10,495 posts)

1. That's idiotic to automatically LIMIT voting. If someone wants to vote, let them automatically get

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 08:50 AM

Jun 2016

a ballot with all races reflected on it!

CrowCityDem

(2,348 posts)

2. If they did that, people would try voting in more than one race, which you can't do.

Reply to Dustlawyer (Reply #1)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 09:01 AM

Jun 2016

This whole thing is Bernie's fault, for not having people on the ground earlier to make sure his most likely voters knew the rules. It's pretty simple. If you are unaffiliated, you have to tell the board of elections which ballot you want. They can't divine your intentions.

MineralMan

(146,308 posts)

3. Unaffiliated registered voters can vote on three

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 09:18 AM

Jun 2016

different parties' ballots. That's why they have to request the ballot for the party they want to vote in. That's what you do if you don't register as affiliated with a party.

This is nothing new. The counties that mail out the ballots have no way to known which ballot a voter who has not selected a party wants to use, and California doesn't do multiple party ballots.

So, it's up to the individual voter to request the preferred ballot. Pretty simply, really.

The county clerk can't decide to send you a Democratic ballot if you are not registered as a Democrat.

Retrograde

(10,136 posts)

5. What? Poll workers aren't required to have ESP?

Reply to MineralMan (Reply #3)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:11 PM

Jun 2016

At least the Democrats are offering NPP voters an opportunity, unlike the Republicans this year. And, of course, all of this is spelled out in the friendly voter's guide that was sent to all registered voters in the state.

MineralMan

(146,308 posts)

7. Guess not. And some NPP voters don't even want to vote in a

Reply to Retrograde (Reply #5)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:15 PM

Jun 2016

presidential primary race. They get the non-partisan ballot. Everyone who is an NPP registrant can ask for the ballot he or she prefers.

And then there are those who registered with the American Independent Party. Some of those will think they're independents, but they won't get to pick which ballot to vote on. They'll get the AIP ballot. Won't they be surprised?

NorthCarolina

(11,197 posts)

4. I heard that the Clinton camp is telling poll workers to give ONLY a Provisional Ballot,

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 09:26 AM

Jun 2016

which will not be counted, to anyone requesting a Dem ballot that is not a registered Democrat.

http://boingboing.net/2016/06/03/california-democratic-primary.html

MineralMan

(146,308 posts)

9. I believe that was limited to some Orange County poll worker training.

Reply to NorthCarolina (Reply #4)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:19 PM

Jun 2016

It's been corrected by now. I saw that story a few weeks ago.

Tarc

(10,476 posts)

6. "somewhat confusing rules for balloting"

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:14 PM

Jun 2016

Rules aren't hard to figure out and follow. Why is it that only Sanders supporters seem to have so much difficulty figuring out how o vote?

MineralMan

(146,308 posts)

8. Well, in fairness, many of them may be voting for the very first time.

Reply to Tarc (Reply #6)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:17 PM

Jun 2016

Either because of their age or because they don't bother to vote much.

anotherproletariat

(1,446 posts)

10. From the looks of it on the ground...they learned their lesson in other states.

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:21 PM

Jun 2016

There was lots of notice on the local news, etc. about the registration deadline (including the need to change parties if necessary), and now about the NPP people requesting a Democratic ballot, if they want. We have an in-law unit that we rent to a woman who is NPP, and the Bernie people came by to drop off info for her to know how to cast a vote in the Democratic Presidential Primary. Unfortunately for them, she is a Hillary supporter, but the point is that they are out and spreading the word, so I don't think the ballot limitation will be a big factor.

LiberalFighter

(50,928 posts)

11. Anything would seem strange to an outsider which is the case for Emily Schultheis.

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 05:08 PM

Jun 2016

But seasoned Californians should know the rules involved when participating in elections.

Samantha

(9,314 posts)

12. From earlier reporting, I believe the ballot they need to ask for is a Democratic Crossover Ballot

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Fri Jun 3, 2016, 05:16 PM

Jun 2016

This was reported earlier on this site.

Sam

Postscript: Read post 65 on this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141467698#post65

It has complete instructions.

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