2016 Postmortem

ChiciB1

(15,435 posts) Sat Oct 10, 2015, 02:50 PM Oct 2015

I Live In Florida & To Vote In The Primary You Have To

designate party affiliation before you can vote. I know this, but don't feel I'm good at explaining WHY Independents, NPA or others need to register to vote and what it means if THEY DON'T do this and WHY their vote is needed to support their candidate.

For instance, as time goes by I'm finding A LOT OF PEOPLE, and I'm not just saying this, it's very, very true who aren't registered as Democrats but say they support Bernie.

Would someone here Start A Thread that explains why it matters for them to re-register? I do not feel I'm very good at explaining this and don't want to get it wrong. I would really appreciate it because it's becoming very clear to me that Bernie is really picking up momentum and he needs their vote in the state of Florida/

I'm going to start a thread later about what I've encountered here in my very RED county in Florida. I've supported Bernie for a very long time, before he even jumped into the race, but NEVER did I expect to see so many people coming on board. It's really amazing. But that's for later, just would appreciate it if someone could explain the Primary issue clearly so others who run into this issue in their states can make sure the importance of this.
Thanx

6 replies

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I Live In Florida & To Vote In The Primary You Have To (Original Post) ChiciB1 Oct 2015 OP

You might want to move this.... daleanime Oct 2015 #1

Good point - Bernie supporters in 26 or 27 states with closed primaries Hortensis Oct 2015 #2

How does one ever change their primary-vote party in OH and IL then? Chan790 Oct 2015 #3

Chan790, the list I read just checked "other," with that notation, rather Hortensis Oct 2015 #4

Go to your state's website zalinda Oct 2015 #5

I live in CT and am a member of my Democratic Town Committee. Chan790 Oct 2015 #6

daleanime

(17,796 posts)

1. You might want to move this....

Reply to ChiciB1 (Original post)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 02:55 PM

Oct 2015

over to the Bernie Group, the discussion is likely to be a little friendlier over there.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)

2. Good point - Bernie supporters in 26 or 27 states with closed primaries

Reply to ChiciB1 (Original post)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 03:07 PM

Oct 2015

must be registered Democratic to vote for him in the primary. I hadn't considered it before, but this obviously means real problems with Bernie's right-wing support.

Thanks to your post, I just learned also that voters in a couple of states, Ohio and Illinois, must vote in the SAME PRIMARY AS THEIR LAST PRIMARY VOTE. This is supposedly loosely enforced, but it could be any time the state powers decided it was in their interest to.

Ohio is considered a swing state, but Republican Governor Kaisich is running for the GOP nomination. Both legislative houses are held by Republicans.

Chan790

(20,176 posts)

3. How does one ever change their primary-vote party in OH and IL then?

Reply to Hortensis (Reply #2)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 03:11 PM

Oct 2015

If I can only vote in the same primary as I voted in the last primary...then next time, I will only be able to vote in the same party's primary as I voted this time--I can only ever vote in the same party's primary.

It's turtles all the way down, as they say.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)

4. Chan790, the list I read just checked "other," with that notation, rather

Reply to Chan790 (Reply #3)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 03:23 PM

Oct 2015

than the "open" or "closed" boxes. So, not to underestimate the chicanery of political machines, but I expect "other" provides a means of breaking out after the one dictated election.

zalinda

(5,621 posts)

5. Go to your state's website

Reply to Chan790 (Reply #3)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 03:33 PM

Oct 2015

Most will have info on voting. New York is a closed primary, so I had to switch from Independent to Democrat. I did it online, it was easy. But, every state has a deadline on when you can switch parties, New York was Oct 9th.

Z

Chan790

(20,176 posts)

6. I live in CT and am a member of my Democratic Town Committee.

Reply to zalinda (Reply #5)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 09:38 PM

Oct 2015

I was just commenting that that IL and OH law made no sense to me because it seems to lock you into a party for life in terms of what primary you can vote in.

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