A question about voter registration

[Canuckistanian]

What is the purpose of registering as a Republican or Democrat in advance of an election?

Is there any advantage in it? And is it just the two major parties or can you register as a Green?

And if you register as Independant, what does that mean?

[MissWaverly]

1. Yes, it supposed to keep the other party from stacking the deck

which the Repugs do when they "select" our presidential candidates,
in other words, say Joe Blow was the weakest candidate in the primary
so all the Repugs would vote for Joe Blow so that their candidate
would have the easiest time defeating him in the general election. I don't have a problem with the current system but I don't see why we can't have 3 or 4 major parties, surely that would keep government officials out of the pockets of the corporations. And how about a recall option, 3-1/2 years is a long time to wait for a change for
the current policies.

[Canuckistanian]

3. I think I see now

So this is for primary voting reasons?
Still, I don't understand the "independant" designation. Does that mean that you can't vote in any primary?

[MissWaverly]

6. that's right, which is why I tell people not to do it

It sounds really noble and all but it does not give you a choice in
the primary.

[skids]

8. Depends on which state.

In some states independents get to pick one or the other primary.

Visit your secretary of state's website or call your town clerk.

[enlightenment]

12. Not necessarily. I've registered as an independent or

unaffiliated voter since 1976, and have on occasion voted in primaries. Some states, not many, have open primaries -- most don't, but there are fairly easy ways around that if you really want to vote in the primary.

I remain unaffiliated to party -- despite that fact that I have almost always voted for Democratic candidates (some stray 3rd party candidates over the years) -- because I do not approve of our "by-default" two-party system. There are many other parties, but they are largely marginalized because of the way our system is designed. I prefer parliamentary democracy -- but I live here. A small protest, and mostly meaningless, I suppose.

[serryjw]

2. MS Waverly is correct

and IF you want a say in the primaries...as an independent ( in most States) you can't vote.

[Canuckistanian]

4. I think you answered my question,Thanks! n/t

[wildeyed]

5. If you are registered as a dem or pug, that means you can vote in

either the dem or pug primary. In my state, unaffiliated can vote in either primary, but only one.

I am my precinct chair, so I have to be registered as a dem. Your registration might also affect how you are canvassed by your local party.

You can register with other parties. The registration forms in my state give you the choice of dem, pug, libertarian, unaffiliated or other qualified party.

[Canuckistanian]

7. Very helpful, thanks

We don't have anything like this system in Canada. And strangely enough, we don't see a need for it.

[wildeyed]

9. So you don't have primaries?

How do you decide who will run for each party in the general election?

[Canuckistanian]

10. We have Leadership Conventions

They usually last about one weekend. Voting is done by delegates who are party members at the local Riding (voting district) Association.

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. Your system is a parlamentary system

the US System was designed to have a winner takes all for the FF did not believe that faction was healthy but could not get any other way aournd it.... John Stuart Mill was 70 years too late

:-)

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. I'm a registered Dem so I can vote in the primaries.

It's been my vain effort to move the party to the left. I usually vote (D) but don't feel beholden to do so.

[Baconfoot]

14. Registering in advance also helps activists GOTV and inform voters

who are registered democrats about upcoming elections and issues.

If you have ever called through a list that was a mixed list (one with Pubs on it) or done any random door to door you'd see that 99.9999% of Pub households are a waste of your valuable volunteered resources if referendums or electing officials are the order of business.

Registering as a Democrat has the advantage of letting the local Dems get a more accurate idea of how resources should be spent in an upcoming election both by itself(because it gives us some idea of how you might vote) but also letting us know that if we call you up and ASK you how you're going to vote (if you're willing to tell us) you are not likely to be terribly hostile.