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Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
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A friend of mine, who is also "A Registered Independent", said he was diving home in Chicago last evening and was listening to a "Sports CALL-IN Program" on WGN Radio in Chicago.
Several people had called in very upset that "a Goat's Head" had been sent to the Cubs Baseball Team owner , Tom Ricketts, at Wrigley Field.
Then a call came in from a listener in Idaho who said:..."Why are you foks so upset about a Goat's Head being sent to Wrigley Field.......Aren't you Chicagoans the same folks that sent "A Horse's Ass" to the White House??
At that point, he had to pull over and stop until he quit being doubled over from laughing so violently......................
Wrong forum, take it to Politics and Other Controversy.
Also how did you become a "Registered Independent"? Just curious, by definition Registered means affiliated with a political party.
I live in an open primary state where people don't register party affiliation so 'scuse my ignorance, it's a sincere question.
Wrong forum, take it to Politics and Other Controversy.
Also how did you become a "Registered Independent"? Just curious, by definition Registered means affiliated with a political party.
I live in an open primary state where people don't register party affiliation so 'scuse my ignorance, it's a sincere question.
I'm registered as an independent.
It was an option when I registered to vote. That was a few years ago-ok, quite a few years ago, so maybe it's not an option any more.
Actually 'registered' means you can vote, not necessarily any political affiliation.
Now that I've posted an off-topic response to an off-topic thread, wonder what our Mod will do.
MG- I do think that was funny, just misplaced. Thanks for sharing.
It was an option when I registered to vote. That was a few years ago-ok, quite a few years ago, so maybe it's not an option any more.
Actually 'registered' means you can vote, not necessarily any political affiliation.
Yes I understand the voter registration process, we have that here in Texas.
We register to vote, then we vote or not vote, our choice, in a primary conducted by political parties. If we choose to vote in a political party's primary, we go to the polling place, state which ballot we want - Democrat or Republican, and then vote for our favored candidates in that party.
There's no such thing here as an "Independent" primary ballot because the Independent candidates aren't joined/affiliated with any party. If we want to vote for an Independent candidate (and I've done so in the past), we just skip the Primary process (iow we don't affiliate with any party) and vote for whomever we want in the general election.
What I don't get is how folks in other states "register" as Independent. There is an American Independent Party, I know. Are all the folks who register as Independent saying they support that party's candidates? If so - and not trying to be ugly here - I get that, but there are some really really strange candidates in that party. Their last serious candidate was Alan Keyes in 2008, before that George Wallace in 1968. OP, is that the party for which you and your friend registered?
I'm thinking the OP doesn't support that party?? If I'm wrong, whom did you support in 2012? I don't recall any candidate from that party being on the Nov. 2012 ballot. OP, who was your party's candidate then? This is all very confusing to me and I hope a true "Registered Independent" will clear it up.
Also this thread should be moved out of Retirement.
In New Mexico there have been Libertarian and Green Party candidates for president on the ballot in the past and maybe a Senatorial candidate. I think Gary Johnson was on the last ballot. A Green Party presidential candidate got 5 1/2 % of the New Mexican vote in 2002. Per the article, Colorado has had up to 16 presidential candidates on their ballot.
In New Mexico there have been Libertarian and Green Party candidates for president on the ballot in the past and maybe a Senatorial candidate. I think Gary Johnson was on the last ballot. A Green Party presidential candidate got 5 1/2 % of the New Mexican vote in 2002. Per the article, Colorado has had up to 16 presidential candidates on their ballot.
Again, I completely understand that. Here in Texas we have Green and Libertarian candidates on the general election ballot and I voted for some of them in 2012. In fact I contributed money to Gary Johnson.
But in Texas, those were third party, and therefore NOT Independent candidates
In New Mexico, are you able to register as an Independent? How exactly does that work? It's especially interesting to me because DH & I are considering relocating there.
I consider myself an independent voter in that I don't choose a party to support in Primary elections, rather I wait until the general election and vote for the candidate I favor, regardless of party affiliation.
In Texas, this is a simple process. Go to vote in the primary election if you choose, select the ballot of the party you favor. Done and dusted, unless there's a primary run-off in which case only people who voted for that party in the primary can vote.
When general election rolls around, all bets are cancelled and you can vote for any candidate in any party.
I don't understand how it works in other states and hope someone can explain it. Do you declare loyalty to a party when you register to vote? What is that process? Do you check a particular box when you register to vote? Is there a box that declares you are independent and don't affiliate with any party? What is the point of "registering" as an Independent? Doesn't being Independent mean you vote any way you choose in the general election?
Last edited by biscuitmom; 07-24-2015 at 01:46 AM..
Again, I completely understand that. Here in Texas we have Green and Libertarian candidates on the general election ballot and I voted for some of them in 2012. In fact I contributed money to Gary Johnson.
But in Texas, those were third party, and therefore NOT Independent candidates
In New Mexico, are you able to register as an Independent? How exactly does that work? It's especially interesting to me because DH & I are considering relocating there.
I consider myself an independent voter in that I don't choose a party to support in Primary elections, rather I wait until the general election and vote for the candidate I favor, regardless of party affiliation.
In Texas, this is a simple process. Go to vote in the primary election if you choose, select the ballot of the party you favor. Done and dusted, unless there's a primary run-off in which case only people who voted for that party in the primary can vote.
When general election rolls around, all bets are cancelled and you can vote for any candidate in any party.
I don't understand how it works in other states and hope someone can explain it. Do you declare loyalty to a party when you register to vote? What is that process? Do you check a particular box when you register to vote? Is there a box that declares you are independent and don't affiliate with any party? What is the point of "registering" as an Independent? Doesn't being Independent mean you vote any way you choose in the general election?
I'll try to answer but may not understand some of the nuances of your questions, am not all that political, and registered to vote many years ago. Basically you can register to vote as Democrat (D), Republican (R), or "decline to state." (I am sure the term was "independent" 20-30 years ago but may be wrong on this point). As far as I can tell, you cannot register as Green Party although that party is qualified for ballot recognition in NM (see link below). Only the major parties, D and R, participate in the primary and you can only vote in the primary if you are registered D or R and can vote only within your registered party - so I suppose you could call this declaring loyalty to a party. There are generally two candidates running for each position for the D side. Often only one person or none running for each position in the R party. So many of our local state and county races were actually decided in the primary by the D's choosing one of the D candidates. There may not even be an R running for that position in the general election (this was especially true in the past). Which is one reason why many traditionally registered as D's so that they would have the opportunity to actually vote for a candidate. In a sense, the primary used to be the real election at the local level. There is really no reason that I can see to register as "decline to state" except to state your disapproval of the major party system.
Today a larger percentage of the younger population are registered as "decline to state" (commonly called independent) and there have been challenges to state law to allow them to vote in primaries but these challenges have not succeeded. There are only six parties qualified for ballot recognition and these are listed in the link below. There can also be write in candidates.
In the general election, you can vote anyway you choose regardless of your party or if independent. If you want to vote "straight" ticket, there is a box for D and for R for convenience. If a D or independent wanted to vote straight R they could do so. There seem to be more R's in New Mexico than there used to be. In the past, most were D's but more liberal or moderate D's in the North and conservative D's in the South. Now some of the southern D's have switched to the R party. In my opinion, you also have many people who tend to vote D at the local level but are open to voting R at the presidential or congressional level or for some of the state offices depending on the candidate.
In NC, it is called "Unaffiliated" (UNA on the card) and I can choose to vote in either primary but not both. I have read a few editorials proposing changes to that. The fear is that most UNAs really have a preference and could cross the line in the primary to try to get the weaker opposing candidate. But you can register for a party you rarely vote for, so I don't see the point.
A friend of mine, who is also "A Registered Independent", said he was diving home in Chicago last evening and was listening to a "Sports CALL-IN Program" on WGN Radio in Chicago.
Several people had called in very upset that "a Goat's Head" had been sent to the Cubs Baseball Team owner , Tom Ricketts, at Wrigley Field.
Then a call came in from a listener in Idaho who said:..."Why are you foks so upset about a Goat's Head being sent to Wrigley Field.......Aren't you Chicagoans the same folks that sent "A Horse's Ass" to the White House??
At that point, he had to pull over and stop until he quit being doubled over from laughing so violently......................
Thank you for my first laugh this morning. Good one, Montana Griz.
I can't help but note how you have been "jumped on" for putting this in the "wrong" category...... and then the length of discussion regarding the very thing you were scolded for. My my...... what has happened to us old codgers?
Lighten up, people. Life is short. It's a sad day when people lose their sense of humor.
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