Is there a way to join with 2 political parties and vote in both primaries?

[SilentScope001]

Hello, my name is SilentScope001, and I (really, really bored), decided that I'll head over to the local primary on Super-Tuesday (Feb. 5, 2008) and vote in what may be the greatest election ever in the history of elections (who'll get to run in the election of November 2008).

 

The problem is that, um, I can't actually register my party affilation. Or, more accurately, my affilations. You see, I actually like the two-party system, and I love Democrats and Republicans. (I'm on both their mailing lists) So I wanted to join up with both parties so that I could tactically vote in their primaries and advance my interests.

 

The primaries in my state are closed. I have to register as a Democrat or as a Republican to vote in either party's primary. So, it is vital that I find a way to register both parties and have it be legally accepted so that I can vote in the primaries.

 

...So what I am supposed to do? Am I doing something illegal?

[PoiuyWired]

Well, it is probably not allowed, and for good reason. Allowing people to do that is basically something with a big "ABUSE ME" sign on top.

 

Obvious tactic would be to join both sides, vote for real on the side you intend to help, and foul up the other side deliberately.

 

Well, technically you might as well ask the bum at your street corner to vote for your choice with half a bottle of old gin. I mean, the idea can be degenerated to that quickly, and worse.

[Jae Onasi]

You can't vote twice in the primary. You only get one vote. In a closed primary you have to declare your party affiliation before voting. If you have an optical voting booth or one with levers, if you vote for one party and try to vote for someone in another party, your first vote either is erased (or the levers pop up), or you simply can't pull the levers or select the second party without un-selecting the first party. If you have a punch card system, when you vote the voting officials will give you either a Democrat card or a Republican card, but not both, and you can't turn around and vote again for the other party. Sorry, but you're going to have to make a choice this time.

 

What I usually do, since I live in a state where you can declare your party affiliation at the polls, is to decide which person I really want to vote for, and adjust my party affiliation accordingly. Since I"m generally independent and try to vote for the person I think will do the best job, I don't sweat it switching parties.

 

PoiuyWired, buying someone's vote is ILLEGAL.

[MdKnightR]

I personally find primaries to be of little value. But, then again, I'm a Libertarian.

[John Galt]

I personally find primaries to be of little value. But, then again, I'm a Libertarian.

 

 

I can sympathize, especially since Kentucky has a Closed Primary system(Which is utterly retarded, if you ask me), and I couldn't vote for a candidate in another political party without changing affiliation 6 months before the election(which is of course a mess of paperwork).

 

Of course, we also have the "STRAIGHT TICKET" button in the general election here, which conveniently removes all need for thought from the voting process...

[Web Rider]

Some states allow non-2 party members to vote either or. However, you cannot vote for one of each. Because that is, as has been said, giving a single person 2 votes.

 

You have to pick, that's what the election is about, if you don't like it, vote Independent.

[Achilles]

Not sure what it's like in other states, but in AZ Independent voters are given the choice of Independent-Republican or Independent-Democrat

[SilentScope001]

Already registered online by using the "Other" box on the Voter Registeration and manually writing in "Republican and Democratic"...but since that would probraly just be seen as an Indepedent and won't let me vote (due to very valid reasons), it's probraly going to just lock me out of both primaries.

 

Jae's idea, however, of changing political affilations just to vote in the Closed Primaries, is a good one though, and as soon as I get the chance, that is what I am going to do. Once the primary season ends though, I'm probraly rechanging the affilations.

[Jae Onasi]

Just change your affiliation online again.

No big deal.

[PoiuyWired]

Sounds like something I whould be doing. Hmmm.

 

On the side note, I am not suggesting buying votes, plus, half a bottle of gin is hardly buying when it comes to technicality, its called "sharing a drink"