Voter Turnout in UK Referendum: 72%

[HerbChestnut]

Compare that to the 35% we typically get in the US for major elections. Think about that. Our electoral system needs serious reform. Automatic voter registration when someone turns 18. Open primaries.

[MFM008]

1. if only WE had those kind of numbers

in elections.

[HerbChestnut]

2. In a country that prides itself on representative democracy, we should have those numbers

It shows how out of touch our government is and how badly we need electoral reform.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

3. Open primaries has shit all to do with people who show up in the general

[HerbChestnut]

4. When people don't get a say in the primaries...

They don't feel as attached to the candidates in the general. We should be encouraging people to vote in *all* elections, not just a few.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

5. They would get a say if they could commit to a party

It's not like people have to pay dues to vote, it's not out of reach.

[HerbChestnut]

6. But what if they don't like the parties...

Or what if sometimes they support Republican candidates and other times support Democrats? What if they usually vote Republican but this one time wanted to vote Democrat? There's all kinds of reasons people shouldn't have to be part of a party to vote in the primary.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

7. You seem to assume that open primaries mean that the candidate you want will win

hence you'll vote. there is no guarantee that will happen. For instance Bernie has been screaming about open primaries although Hillary won more of the open primaries, so she would have won anyway. Would your voter who is not a committed democrat and whose candidate lost, show up to vote for her?

If you can't commit to the goals of the democratic part, you have no business picking our nominee.

[HerbChestnut]

8. That type of closed mindedness is what's driving people away from the party

When the country is dominated by a 2 party system that is hellbent on maintaining control, you better believe everyone should have the right to vote in the primaries. Btw nice dig on Bernie there. Gotta love the unity, right?

[KingFlorez]

9. It's really not hard to register with a party to vote in their primary

Parties set their own rules because they are private. If Republicans had have had more closed primaries, Trump would not be their nominee.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. Additionally the parties have a right to want to control who runs on their ticket

I bet the republicans are really jealous of super delegates right now.

[HerbChestnut]

12. You and I don't think it's hard...

But for the average person who doesn't pay close attention to politics the rules are outright arcane. NY is the perfect example; having to register 6 months before the primary or you can't vote. It's ridiculous. Then there's each state's individual set of rules regarding whether independents can or can't vote, what types of ballots they receive, provisional ballots, etc. The whole thing is a mess. Simple open primaries solve that problem.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. It's not a dig at Bernie, it's a fact that he lost more open primaries

It's not close mindedness to not want people who don't endorse the Democratic Party platform from picking our candidate. the parties have a right to want to maintain some control over their primaries, for fear of someone like trump becoming the nominee.

[HerbChestnut]

13. Trump became the nominee because the majority of Republicans voted for him

As terrifying as that is.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

14. Yes, the majority of republican primary voters who are not a large number

If they had super delegates, someone else would have won.

[HerbChestnut]

15. And overturned the will of the people

What kind of chaos do you think would have occurred if that had happened?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

16. Their primary this time was not like the democratic primary

Where Hillary won by a huge number in the popular vote. He won a plurality but not a majority in the popular vote (33%, I think). Had Marco or someone else had more establishment support via pledged super delegates, this whole thing could have gone very differently.

[HerbChestnut]

17. He was also running against a dozen opponents while Hillary really only had 1

I don't know what the final vote tally is, but I'm willing to bet he got more than 33%.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

18. Yes and 17 would not have run if superdelegates came out in favor of someone

It would have narrowed the field considerably

[HerbChestnut]

19. Maybe, maybe not.

Point is, he won the popular vote whether we like it or not.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. Point is also a party should maintain some control over their nominee

So they don't end up with crazy garbage like trump.

[HerbChestnut]

21. Just wait until the convention

I don't think we've seen the end of this primary campaign quite yet