Reply #33: Again, it depends on the state [View All]

[TechBear_Seattle]

In Washington, we have three "major" political parties: Republican, Democrat and Libertarian. A party is classed as major if, during or since the previous gubernatorial election, it ran a candidate in a partisan race with a statewide vote (President, US Senator, Governor, Sec. of State, etc) with said candidate receiving at least 10% of all the votes cast for that office. All other parties are classed as minor parties.

The new and very unpopular primary system that has been forced on us -- twice -- requires primary voters to select one of the major political parties and vote only from that slate of candidates. Voter registration is non-partisan, so any voter wishing to participate is allowed to vote any of the major party primary elections. The choice is made when it is time to vote, either by getting a single ballot with the three slates on them (and you indicating which slate and which candidates on that one slate) or by getting three ballots and turning in only one. If you are confused, you ain't the only one. Not even our elections officers seem to have a clear idea of what is going on :thumbsdown:

Minor parties, such as the Greens and the Progressives, chose their candidates in an open convention, where all registered voters who live in the jurisdiction of the elected office may participate. Since the courts have repeatedly ruled that open candidate selections are an unconstitutional violation of a right of association, lawsuits are pending.