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Post by scrapbookwriter on Oct 28, 2017 23:48:39 GMT
I am a moderate conservative. In the last election I voted third party. I have not registered with either party because neither represents my positions.
I am re-thinking my Independent status. In my state I must register with a political party to vote in its primaries. My state is primarily Republican. As an Independent I have no influence on who is nominated as the Republican candidate.
But I would hate to have the Republican party leaders think I support them. Or worse, have them think that I support Donald Trump, which I DO NOT.
So what say the Peas? Should I
1) remain a moderate conservative Independent, because who wants to be a Republican anyway? or
2) register as a Republican so I can vote in the Republican primary?
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pyccku
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,817 
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Post by pyccku on Oct 28, 2017 23:52:39 GMT
Register as a Republican, and vote in the primaries so that maybe the R candidate won't be a batshit crazy Bannonite. And then make sure to email your party leaders to let them know that in no way do you support Trumpism and your vote isn't guaranteed for them in the general elections if they run shit candidates.
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Post by LisaDV on Oct 29, 2017 0:19:42 GMT
I’m in the exact same boat!!! Although I do not like Trump, I didn’t like Hilary either. I vote democratic, republican, and other parties based upon my research of each candidate. I personally could not register with any of the parties.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 1, 2024 22:46:22 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2017 0:22:52 GMT
I am registered as a republican because I have to be registered as either rep or dem to vote in the primaries. IMO, the independent voters dropping out of the primaries is a big reason both parties are running to the extreme ends... the middle ground has left them to be independent but the way things are set up the independents end up having no voice at all. The parties in control are never going to allow a viable third party even if it ends up only 10% of the nation is registered to vote.
Pick the party that is most aligned to your views even if it isn't fully aligned and work from there to make changes. You can't make changes without a vote to be cast.
eta: I've gotten a couple of surveys from Trump since the inauguration.... a chance to voice how I feel about policies.
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Post by lucyg on Oct 29, 2017 0:24:41 GMT
Register as a Republican. My dad was a liberal but also a lifelong Republican. His dad had been active in California Republican politics. My dad always said he remained a Republican so he could vote against the crazies in the primaries.  That was part of the reason I remained a Republican for as many years as I did, too. Voting in the primaries. |
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Oct 29, 2017 1:46:02 GMT
Oh, I threw out the dt survey I got in the mail...... Ooops!
As I said in another thread, I still have one of my IKE cuff links!
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Post by refugeepea on Oct 29, 2017 1:52:31 GMT
I am also not registered with either party for the same reasons as the OP. In my state, it's not required if you want to vote in the Democrat primaries, but it is if you are Republican.
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Post by jenis40 on Oct 29, 2017 2:05:24 GMT
Washington State has open primaries so you don’t have to register with a party but you can only vote in one primary - either Republican or Democrat.
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Post by freecharlie on Oct 29, 2017 2:44:13 GMT
I am a registered Republican and have been for over 20 years. I disagree a lot with what they have become. I don't change because of primaries and because I don't mind if they think they have my vote. They count it as one in their column, but it hasn't been for a while now in many elections (federal, state and local are another story).
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Oct 29, 2017 3:19:59 GMT
Still registered as a Republican, but I had done that because I was asked to work as a poll clerk, back when we got all of $35 for our 14+ hour day. There were too many Democratic poll clerks..
State your party IF you want to vote in primaries.
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Post by peatlejuice on Oct 29, 2017 5:00:10 GMT
I am registered as a republican because I have to be registered as either rep or dem to vote in the primaries. IMO, the independent voters dropping out of the primaries is a big reason both parties are running to the extreme ends... the middle ground has left them to be independent but the way things are set up the independents end up having no voice at all. The parties in control are never going to allow a viable third party even if it ends up only 10% of the nation is registered to vote. Pick the party that is most aligned to your views even if it isn't fully aligned and work from there to make changes. You can't make changes without a vote to be cast. eta: I've gotten a couple of surveys from Trump since the inauguration.... a chance to voice how I feel about policies. Oklahoma election law allows Independents to vote in a party's primary if the party authorizes it. Both the Democrat and Libertarian parties allowed it in 2016 and 2017, but I haven't heard if that will be continued for 2018. I've been a registered Independent in Oklahoma for a while now, and voted in the Democratic primaries when allowed (I've also had more than a few Republican voters make shitty comments to me about it, but they get amazingly quiet when I ask them why their party is afraid to allow Independents to vote). I always swore I would never change my affiliation unless/until one of the parties aligned closer to my interests (I didn't even vote for a single Republican or Democrat candidate in the 2016 general election), but then Trump happened, and I blame the close-mindedness of Republicans for that, so if none of the parties allow Independent voting in their primaries next year, I intend to change to R for the sole purpose of voting for their most moderate candidates. At least try to mitigate the damage since most Oklahoman voters seem to only care about the letter after the name anyway. |
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Country Ham
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,313
Jun 25, 2014 19:32:08 GMT
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Post by Country Ham on Oct 29, 2017 5:08:21 GMT
This is a repeat from stuff I said before. This was my first presidential election as a US citizen. I did not register for the primaries. I did work the polls. People came in and said "Republican" and then in front of witnesses said "I am voting Donald Trump now so that Hillary can win the election later on". You saw how that backfired right? I am sticking with independent for now until someone comes forward that resonates with my core values.
ETA: no one questions our political affiliation when we work elections.
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Gennifer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,991
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Post by Gennifer on Oct 29, 2017 7:10:29 GMT
I'm registered as an Independent, in my super-conservative state of Utah. (I think that's where you are, also, right?) Here, you can vote in the Democrat primary no matter what political party you are registered as, but only in the Republican one if you are a registered Republican. I plan to change how I'm registered so I can vote in both primaries in the future.
If I need to claim Republican to play the game, that's fine.
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knitnakinva
Shy Member
Posts: 27
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Post by knitnakinva on Oct 29, 2017 12:22:30 GMT
Register so you can vote in the primary. The party will only get more and more extreme if moderates drop out and don't demand to be heard.
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melissa
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,912
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Post by melissa on Oct 29, 2017 12:59:17 GMT
I never thought about registering for a party for the purpose of voting against the most right or left leaning candidates. I have never voted in a primary as I never selected a party. I am another who has always voted for the candidate more than the party. Today, I definitely identify more with one party than the other, but I am hoping that will change again someday. (A girl can dream, can't she?)
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Post by annabella on Oct 29, 2017 15:16:05 GMT
The primaries are really where the President to be is chosen. That vote is more important than the actual election. At the 2016 presidential republican primary, there were 4 candidates to vote for and most people voted for Trump. However it was said that much fewer people voted in the primaries than the election. But by the election you're only stuck with Trump to vote for, so you missed your opportunity to kick him off the ticket.
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Post by compeateropeator on Oct 29, 2017 15:32:41 GMT
I would if it is a requirement to be able to vote in the primaries. I would chose which ever party is closest to my views.
Truthfully I am not sure if I am a registered Democrat or Independent. It is not required to register as a party member to vote in the primaries in my state. You can choose which ever party’s ballot you want when you go in to vote. I have always voted using the Democratic ballot.
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Post by jenis40 on Oct 29, 2017 15:36:05 GMT
Sort of a side track but I think we need to reform our primary system as well. It seems like a handful of small population states are determining who the presidential nominee is and I don’t think that is helping either (obviously this doesn’t affect state elections).
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perumbula
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,439
Location: Idaho
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Post by perumbula on Oct 29, 2017 17:54:25 GMT
My state requires you to register with a party to vote in the primaries as well. Personally, I hate it, but I'm a registered Republican because the Primaries are the very best way to utilize my vote for change in my state. It's very red so voting in the general has about as much influence as blowing dandelions at the state capitol building. However, in the primary election, I can shape who runs for the general (and who will most likely win) and my vote counts for more because the voting numbers in the primaries are so much lower than in the general election.
If you live in a state that is very red or very blue the very best way you can make your vote count is to vote in the primaries.
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