If You Register Democrat

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Carrie' date='Jul 11 2004, 06:56 PM'] I'm not 100% sure because I'm also not politically inclined, but this is what I think is right.

The primary is to determine which candidate from a party will actually be the one to run for office.

The Democrats had a primary to determine whether it would be Kerry, Edwards, etc. to be the one to run for president. Kerry won the primary, so he is the Democractic presidential candidate.

The Republicans didn't have a primary because Bush is going to be running again.

So if your sis is registered Dem, then she can vote in the Dem primary but not a Republican primary. But she can vote for whomever she wants in November, no matter what party.

Political buffs, does this sound right? [/quote]
The last sentence:

[quote]So if your sis is registered Dem, then she can vote in the Dem primary but not a Republican primary.  But she can vote for whomever she wants in November, no matter what party.[/quote]

is correct.

This:

[quote]
The Democrats had a primary to determine whether it would be Kerry, Edwards, etc. to be the one to run for president.  Kerry won the primary, so he is the Democractic presidential candidate.[/quote]

is partially true. When you vote in a primary, you reaslly are voting for DELEGATES to the national convention. Each state and party is different. Some states (like Illinois) have the "beauty contest", in which there is a popular vote winner, but most delegates are selected individually on a congressional district level, and their names will be on the ballot and the candidate whom they are pledged to support are in parentheses next to them and it is up to the voter to choose correctly. Some states allocate delegates proportionally to the candidates who meet a certain percentage threshhold in the state primary. Some states will have a winner-take-all, but this is mainly for the the Republican primary. There are also some delegates slotes that are reserved for party and elected officials and are not subject to voter decision.

This:

[quote]The Republicans didn't have a primary because Bush is going to be running again.  [/quote]

is absolutely false. Republicans DID have a primary, but Bush had no serious opposition, and most of the attention was focused on the Democratic primary.

Immaculata, in Illinois primaries, it is more that you DECLARE a party when you go into the voting booth, and if you declare you want a Democratic ballot, you get a Democratic ballot; if you declare Republican, you get a Republican ballot. One year you can declare Democratic, another Republican, if you wish.

[Carrie]

Norseman, thank you for correcting me. I wasn't sure, so I appreciate the information!