Unenrolled Voters - Open Primaries in VT, MA - March 1st

[Highway Star]

Please be aware, if you are registered to vote with an "Unenrolled" party status, you can vote in either the Democrat or Republican Presidential primary tomorrow in VT and MA. They are referred to as Open Primaries.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_primaries_in_the_United_States
http://www.cityofboston.gov/elections/faq.asp


(Sorry for posting this in the ski forum, this is not intended to be a political debate thread, just an FYI - I was not aware of this until I looked it up)

 

[VTKilarney]

In Vermont, there is no such thing as an "unenrolled voter." You are either registered to vote or you are not registered. There is no requirement to identify a party affiliation - at least for voting purposes. If you are registered to vote, on primary day you merely walk in and request which party's primary ballot you would like. You can only request one.

The only downside is that if one party does not have a contested primary, people who identify with that party can try to "game" the other party's results.

 

[bdfreetuna]

aka being Independent. Thanks for the news flash. Every independent voter already knew that.

VTK unenrolled in a party is not the same as not being registered to vote.

 

[VTKilarney]

VTK unenrolled in a party is not the same as not being registered to vote.

I'm well aware of that. Let me clarify because you missed it. In Vermont, you do not enroll or otherwise register with a political party for voting purposes. There is simply no mechanism to do so. Thus, there is no such thing as being "unenrolled" with a party. If you can't enroll in the first place, you most certainly cannot unenroll.

And why am I explaining this to someone who can't even vote in Vermont????

 

[bdfreetuna]

And why am I explaining this to someone who can't even vote in Vermont????

Beats me.

 

[Highway Star]

I've never voted in a primary and was not aware that MA and VT had open primaries, until I looked it up today.

In MA, it's not called "independent", it's actually called "unenrolled".

 

[hammer]

I've never voted in a primary and was not aware that MA and VT had open primaries, until I looked it up today.

In MA, it's not called "independent", it's actually called "unenrolled".

Yup...in MA (at least the town I live in) if you were unenrolled you used to have to fill out a form to enroll with a party, vote in the primary for that party, and then fill out a form to unenroll.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Does that mean you could vote in both primaries? Register vote deregister x 2?

 

[hammer]

Does that mean you could vote in both primaries? Register vote deregister x 2?

Nope...can only vote in one (at least in MA but I can't imagine VT being any different).

 

[VTKilarney]

Nope...can only vote in one (at least in MA but I can't imagine VT being any different).

It isn't any different. You get one ballot and one only.

 

[witch hobble]

Vote early.....vote often!!!

 

[VTKilarney]

Don't we have a no politics rule?

 

[deadheadskier]

Don't we have a no politics rule?

Yes

No politics on Alpinezone.

 

[jimk]

oops. sorry. still felt good to get it off my chest