Non-Partisan Voter Registration worries

[beej]

the quiet part gets spilled to the public again.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/01/democrats-voter-registration-minorities/

A confidential memo circulated among top Democratic donors has sparked a furious debate in Democratic circles about whether to narrow the focus of voter registration efforts to avoid signing up likely Republicans.
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For decades, nonpartisan groups allied with the Democratic Party have run wide-ranging efforts aimed at increasing voter registration among people of color and young people — groups that tend to lean Democratic but have historically voted at lower rates than older and White people.

In recent years, however, there has been a marked shift among the roughly 1 in 5 citizens of voting age who are unregistered toward Republicans, raising fresh questions about how much boosting nonpartisan voter registration could help presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump heading into November.

[Jim at Gentex]

Yep.
So much for freedom of choice.
Dems are all for registering new voters as long as they are loyal Dems.

The game is rigged and has been for quite some time...

[Tim Johnson]

In Michigan you're automatically signed up when you get a driver's license or an ID card whether you want to be or not. I've always wondered if there is checking of the ID roster to find non-voters and use them to pad the votes.

[Jim at Gentex]

In Michigan you're automatically signed up when you get a driver's license or an ID card whether you want to be or not. I've always wondered if there is checking of the ID roster to find non-voters and use them to pad the votes.

I also wonder which party you are 'automagically' registered to, but I have a feeling I already know...

[SuperHoneyBadger]

I also wonder which party you are 'automagically' registered to, but I have a feeling I already know...

How do you mean, registered to a party? Do you guys have some system of tracking who supports a party beyond casting a vote? I'm not well versed in the American system, but it seems odd to me.

[Jim at Gentex]

How do you mean, registered to a party? Do you guys have some system of tracking who supports a party beyond casting a vote? I'm not well versed in the American system, but it seems odd to me.

When you register to vote in Pennsylvania you can register as either a Democrat, Republican, or No Affiliation. (Independent)

[Smit]

When you register to vote in Pennsylvania you can register as either a Democrat, Republican, or No Affiliation. (Independent)

I think it's that way in most of the country. I'm not sure how it is other states but in Kansas only those who are registered as Dem or Rep can vote in the Dem and Rep primaries, so the unaffiliated people don't get any say in who represents either party.

That's why we have so many hyper partisan elected officials in this country.

[Jim at Gentex]

...only those who are registered as Dem or Rep can vote in the Dem and Rep primaries, so the unaffiliated people don't get any say in who represents either party.

That's the whole point of a two party system and a primary.
Democrats nominate Democrats and Republicans nominate Republicans in the Primary.
Then EVERYONE decides which nominee they want to fill the office in the General Election.

Unaffiliated people CERTAINLY DO get a say in the primaries, it's just that the smaller parties don't NEED a primary because they usually only field one candidate.

Allowing cross-party voting in the primaries can be and has been abused by BOTH major parties to try to manipulate who their opponent will be in the general election.
That's why it's a bad idea, period.

If you want a say in who the Dems or the Reps nominate, join the party that comes closest to your political positions and vote in that party's primary.
Then in the General Election you can choose whoever you like.

This is not difficult...

[neurosis]

That's the whole point of a two party system and a primary.

I thought the whole point of a two party system is to get voters to fight against each other so they're more willing to make ignorant decisions at the ballot box.  

[beej]

I think it's that way in most of the country. I'm not sure how it is other states but in Kansas only those who are registered as Dem or Rep can vote in the Dem and Rep primaries, so the unaffiliated people don't get any say in who represents either party.

That's why we have so many hyper partisan elected officials in this country.

In Missouri they just ask you on election day if you want a democrat ballot or republican ballot. I've never registered as one party or another, and I don't know many people that are.

[Smit]

That's the whole point of a two party system and a primary.
Democrats nominate Democrats and Republicans nominate Republicans in the Primary.
Then EVERYONE decides which nominee they want to fill the office in the General Election.

Unaffiliated people CERTAINLY DO get a say in the primaries, it's just that the smaller parties don't NEED a primary because they usually only field one candidate.

Allowing cross-party voting in the primaries can be and has been abused by BOTH major parties to try to manipulate who their opponent will be in the general election.
That's why it's a bad idea, period.

If you want a say in who the Dems or the Reps nominate, join the party that comes closest to your political positions and vote in that party's primary.
Then in the General Election you can choose whoever you like.

This is not difficult...

Apparently it is difficult. To assume the unaffiliated people are only interested in minor fringe parties is clearly not true. The unaffiliated people are probably a bigger group than either dem or rep affiliated people and they don't have a say in either parties nominees in many cases.

So the affiliated people vote for radicals in the primaries and then the unaffiliated people have to choose from 2 radicals.

I don't think this is what the founding fathers had in mind at all. Just sayin.

In Missouri they just ask you on election day if you want a democrat ballot or republican ballot. I've never registered as one party or another, and I don't know many people that are.

Interesting. Can an unaffiliated person get one of each?

[beej]

Apparently it is difficult. To assume the unaffiliated people are only interested in minor fringe parties is clearly not true. The unaffiliated people are probably a bigger group than either dem or rep affiliated people and they don't have a say in either parties nominees in many cases.

So the affiliated people vote for radicals in the primaries and then the unaffiliated people have to choose from 2 radicals.

I don't think this is what the founding fathers had in mind at all. Just sayin.

Interesting. Can an unaffiliated person get one of each?

No, you have to pick a single ballot.

[YoDoug]

Without accountability of these non-profit voter groups and accurate voter rolls they will never be able to prove how much election fraud there is. The Dems will never allow actual election integrity measures when it comes to voter rolls. They need all those fraudulent voter registrations to hide their cheating.

[Smit]

No, you have to pick a single ballot.

Cool. I think that's a better way. That way everybody who wants a vote can get it and they can vote for whoever they think the candidate is that represents them best.

[gcode]

We have jungle primaries here in Cali now
The top 2 advance to the general election
In an ultra blue state like Cali that means many races are between two Democrats
As a result, my wife and I will be leaving at least half on the ballot unvoted in the
general election.