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Pru, please answer all my questions in the original post. I do have legit questions. Do all 50 states have primaries? Do you have to be a registered member of a party to vote for a candidate. example: I am a republican, but plan on voting for Obama...how do I vote for him in a primary? Will he be on a ballot with Guiliani and Clinton?

you can't vote in the dem primaries, but you can vote for the weaker republican

pigsteak wrote:Pru, please answer all my questions in the original post. I do have legit questions. Do all 50 states have primaries?

yes

Do you have to be a registered member of a party to vote for a candidate. example: I am a republican, but plan on voting for Obama...how do I vote for him in a primary?

In some states you have to be registered with a party to vote in the primary, in others you don't. If you planned on voting for Obama and you were Republican you would probably vote for the weakest Republican in the primary. In the states where party registration doesn't matter you can vote for your favorite in your party or for the weaker in the opposing party.

Will he be on a ballot with Guiliani and Clinton?

The dual party ballot is legally possible but in reality could not happen.

The two big parties run the show and pay the players. No independent voice shall be heard.

thank you alan..that is how I remember Illinois..no party affiliation. Kentucky struck me as odd.

Piggy, Kentucky has closed primaries. We had this discussion several months ago. I'm starting to worry about you. I was sure this was a ploy to start a fight. Are you feeling okay? I will be happy to share my honey lemon cough suppressant drops that expired in April 2001 with you!

If you want to vote for a dem there is still plenty of time to change your registration.

in Kentucky you have until 29 days before the primary to change your registration (or register to vote).

I'm an independent so I have to pick a party before that time and change my registration. Which party I register for depends on who is left from what will be a dramatically thinned herd by then.

You can vote with your wallet NOW:
http://www.dennis4president.com/home/
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/

hey all you hippies should give your spare change to Dennis Kucinich's campaign (big push for donations by 11/29 as they are being matched):

Dennis Kucinich wrote:Marijuana should be decriminalized, period. Decriminalize it and then hemp's not an issue.

from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-simo ... 74024.html

Historically, the parties' presidential candidates were determined in the proverbial 'smoke filled back room' at their conventions. The primaries were instituted to increase the amount of 'democracy' in our, er, democratic system.

As usual, Wikipedia explains all:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_elections

Theoretically, in Illinois, they weren't 'open' primaries, but at least where I vote in Chicago, they just ask me which party's ballot I want.

Also, when absorbing the 'news' about the Iowa Caucuses, keep in mind that they are, uh, er, fucked up. Uh, I mean 'complicated'. Read the Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_caucus

The Iowa system is tough to predict because, particularly with the Democratic caucus system, it isn't just a matter of going into a 'booth' and casting a vote.

When do I get to rant about the jackass electoral college system and how we need to hold all the primaries on the same day and just elect presidents by popular vote? (In other words, screw New Hampshire and South Dakota?)

Also, don't forget that Alan Keyes is a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. I strongly support Keyes as the Republican candidate for all elections!

Nothing to do with primaries, but this is a cool link.

You tell it how you feel about certain issues and it tells you which politician you are most closely aligned with. Be informed without having to do all that pesky reading.

http://glassbooth.org/