Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
According to the Idaho Secretary of State’s office, the Idaho primary elections of May 27, 2008 would not be well attended. A prediction of “30 percent” of registered voters might be casting ballot" they said. In 2006, "about 25 percent of registered voters actually voted". It was said that the results “yielded the lowest voter turnout in the last 30 years”. Wonder why? Between you and I, the turn out was probably less than 20 percent this time. Hum….wonder why? How does this sound to you?
Boise) — The Idaho Republican Central Committee is the governing body of the Idaho Republican Party whose members met in Boise on January 12, 2008. They overwhelmingly voted for a resolution that formally insists upon ending the practice of allowing Democrats and other non-Republicans in Idaho to vote on an Idaho Republican Primary ballot, thus protecting the integrity of the Party’s nominating process." You get it? Yes, if you are a registered Republican, you can not vote for, say, Clinton or Obama, and if you are a registered Democrat, there goes your McCain vote! But never mind, the presidential primary votes casted tonight did not count anyway. {wasted paper}
“Even though the Democratic candidates for President will appear on the Primary Election ballot, it is the results of the caucus that are binding for the presidential delegates.” We are told. So, if you missed the Democratic caucus - not enough parking; not enough room for those who showed up; or if you listened to the media telling you the lines were incredibly long, and it took hours to get in (true stuff)…. Today’s vote did NOT count anyway. Since Caucuses were held in counties all around Idaho on February 5th, 2008, today’s vote was a waste of my gas. Why didn’t anyone tell me? Did I miss something? ahhh Dems...youuuuuuuu.
I, like many of my friends and family - whom I called to make sure they voted and enthusiastically wanted to participate in the 2008 primary - did not realize what the 2008 vote in Idaho would be about. Not until the nice lady with a blue ribbon around her neck told me that, {all had the blue neck ties, hum, is that, no, you are kidding!} if I turned the ballot over, and voted for anyone other than my party affiliation (Dem or Rep), “your vote will not count.” And the independent, where do they vote, I asked? What if I am a registered Dem and the Sherriff running is a Republican, can I vote for him? (Don’t dream, it won’t be a her in my generation) Nope, cant do it, you must choose!
What does this mean, I asked myself? Could it be true that many in Idaho run with the Republican label even though they have Democratic ideas? But how do I vote for them? Is true what we are told that everyone in Idaho is a Republican, thus only Republicans run for office? Is it also true that if you want to participate in the election process in Idaho, you are either a Republican, or you don’t belong in Idaho?. What if I like the color red? Would they buy-out my home so I can move? So many questions!
Check this out, out of 21 people who ran for a seat in US Congress for Idaho there were 2 Ind, 13 Reps, 1 Lib, 5 Dems. Choose one color or stay home! Forget the Libs and Inds {nice sound to it, no?}
So, bottom line it for me you ask?
1. According to the Idaho Republican Party, the open primary system is unconstitutional, so they voted for a closed primary.
2. Idaho requires that voters choose a party in order to participate in the primary. Independent are not be allowed to vote unless they choose a party. If the person you want to vote for is in the “other” party, you are out of luck, can’t pick’em. This is not just for the Presidential primary - that does not count anyway, remember that part? Way to go Dems.
3. In Idaho, the interests of the Republican Party are of primary importance to the exclusion of the rest of the State’s population who does not choose to be Republican. {okay, there are a couple of "others", yes, really} The Idaho State Republican Party believes that unless a closed primary was adopted, that “the infiltration of non-Republicans into the selection process for Idaho Republican Party candidates….a cross-over of non Republicans….would pose a direct and immediate threat to the integrity of the Party” Per General Assembly of the Idaho Republican Party (2006) By the way, this was never brought to a vote of floor of either house of the Idaho Legislature, according to Grassroots Idaho GOP
Okay Idaho, you got me. I served my country honorably {USAF} and refuse to label myself with any party. Oh, I get it now, that is why all those others choose not to vote in Idaho.
Signed, a voter who does not blame the long weekend for low turnout and wonder how the Iraqi voting is going if this is the model and needs to vent. But who cares as long as a Republican stays in office in Idaho.
Last edited by JAJA; 05-28-2008 at 01:19 AM..
Reason: reading it again
Location: In the North Idaho woods, still surrounded by terriers
2,179 posts, read 7,019,605 times
Reputation: 1014
Primary elections in all states are restricted to Rep or Dem votes. Not just Idaho. In the final election you can place your mark in any box you wish...or mix them up if you want. Not sure what you are trying to get across...
I think the reason turn out was so low is because politics are getting annoying and old. Idahoans don't feel like our votes really matter either because we are mostly a red state and the Rep. nominee has already been chosen.
Primary elections in all states are restricted to Rep or Dem votes. Not just Idaho. In the final election you can place your mark in any box you wish...or mix them up if you want. Not sure what you are trying to get across...
Actually, in many states, you don't have to declare one way or the other to vote in primaries. Also, some states have open primaries for one party but closed for the other.
I don't really understand the point of the post anyway, though. Are you saying that because you wanted to vote democrat, you were denied since the vote on May 27th was for the Republicans only? The Democrat vote was, as you say, Feb 5th, and it was highly publicized to anyone who was interested. Sorry, but if you missed your chance, you have only yourself to blame for it. I think the caucus is a horrible way to vote, but it is the way Idaho Democrats do their vote, and that information is readily available.
I agree with Mapper that the reason the Republican voter turnout was low is that the votes are not necessary to determine the candidate. He has already been chosen.
Anyway, point is, your vote counts, if you place it according to party rules, which were that you had to vote in the caucus on Feb 5th along with the rest of Idaho's Democrats. I think it was even an open caucus, that you didn't have to declare yourself a Democrat, so you could have voted along with everyone else.
Actually, in many states, you don't have to declare one way or the other to vote in primaries. Also, some states have open primaries for one party but closed for the other.
I have to second this - in Missouri, they did ask which ballot we wanted to choose (for electronic voting only - for pencil & paper method all names were on one ballot: Dem, Rep, Lib, Ind), but we did not have to register or declare any particular party affiliation.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
