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PaperclipPerfector  3mo ago (text post)   30114 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of August 12, 2024

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I looked on X if someone asked her about mail in ballots but alas:

Interestingly, this may account for Trump’s softening position on mail in ballots. These would be easier for a patriarch to control, even fill in for the spouse, than a vote in a booth.

Not much else discussion on X though. But on reddit the link exploded and currently has 2700 comments! Of course you have to sort by controversial to get any contrarian opinion.

I am not an American, but I think one has to register as Democrat or Republican to be able to vote in the primaries? Is that open information ? I guess it must be or how else can a party ask you to vote?

I am not an American, but I think one has to register as Democrat or Republican to be able to vote in the primaries?

Depends on the state. I think all three of:

  1. anyone can vote in either primary,
  2. independents can choose which primary to vote in (else, you're stuck with your own),
  3. and you can only vote with your own,

exist in different states.

I'm sure some people change their registrations to the opposing party for the sake of primaries, but that is probably fairly uncommon.

I am not an American, but I think one has to register as Democrat or Republican to be able to vote in the primaries? Is that open information ? I guess it must be or how else can a party ask you to vote?

Every state has different rules about this. In Texas any registered voter can vote in the primary of either party, and which primary you voted in is public information. In California any registered voter can vote in a single primary and the top two advance to the general(this being California, that’s sometimes two democrats and sometimes a Republican and a democrat), and having voted is generally known but who you voted for is a secret. In some other states, voters have to declare a party when registering and can vote only in that primary.

one has to register as Democrat or Republican to be able to vote in the primaries? Is that open information ?

It is, at least in my state. Keep in mind that people sometimes register in one party to influence the primary, then vote for the other party in the general election. So you can't tell someone's true allegiance just by seeing which party they're registered under.

I am not an American, but I think one has to register as Democrat or Republican to be able to vote in the primaries?

In most states, yes, though some have "open primaries" where you can freely change your party affiliation.

Is that open information ?

Voter registration is a public record. Also presumably if you live in the same house with someone you're likely to see them getting mail from the party they registered with.

I am not an American, but I think one has to register as Democrat or Republican to be able to vote in the primaries? Is that open information ? I guess it must be or how else can a party ask you to vote?

Whether you can vote in a primary without registering as a member of the party varies by state and even party, as does what hoops you have to jump through to get voter registration records (if getting it from the state).

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