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[Diana Duncan <art2mis AT nc.rr.com>]

On Thursday, Feb 12, 2004, at 00:55 US/Eastern, Tanner Lovelace wrote:

> Thomas Beckett wrote:
>
> > The never-ending redistricting litigation has put the very basis of 
> > the elections in to question, so the state Board of Election put off 
> > the state primary elections until July.  That is far too late for any 
> > meaningful participation in the presidential selection process, so 
> > the state party is implementing a contingency plan for electing 
> > delegates in lieu of the established primary election.  You must be a 
> > registered Democrat to participate.
>
> So, who do I complain about for the fact that all of us who refuse to
> affiliate with a political party are now effectively disenfranchised?
> I was planning on voting in the democratic primary (because there
> really isn't a republican primary this year) to hopefully influence in
> some micro-miniscule way the election but now I just have to accept
> what's given to me in the November election?!?  What's the point
> of having laws that say independents can vote in primaries then?
> The question is, who's fault it it?  The republicans for the damn
> lawsuit or the democrats for moving things around.  <sarcasm>Perhaps
> I should just sue them all</sarscasm>.  Nah, better to vote them
> all out of office...
>
> Tanner

I don't see why anyone not affiliating themselves with a political 
party should be allowed to vote in that party's primary.  The point of 
a primary is to select /your/ party's candidate for office.  What do 
you think a party is for?  It's a club of like-minded voters (roughly) 
and if you are not a member, then you don't get to play.  What laws say 
independents can vote in primaries?  Is this some crazy North Carolina 
thing?  In Ohio, you must be registered as a member of the party to 
vote in that party's primary.  Haud your wheesht, Tanner.  :)

Diana