Caucusing - State caucus report, but no trip to national

[Darth K'Trava]

Hearing how caucuses work makes me glad I live in a state that does primaries.

It was very simple. My wife and I walked into our polling place, showed our drviers licences to prove we were who we said we were and had our names crossed off a list, moved down the table and were asked which party we wanted, and were given ScanTron type sheets. We went to an empty table, took the 30 seconds it took to do that (plus in our state you vote on delegates for that candidate as well - none of whom I actually knew), and took the sheets to an electronic reader, and got our "I voted!" stickers. In some areas of my county there was also a county commisioner seat that was to be filled by special election that was on both Republican and Democrat ballots.

Something that might be of interest is the fact that I have never been to a polling place that was not staffed by elderly volunteers (and in my old polling place ones who would give you a dirty look if you asked for the 'wrong' ballot), with the occasional exception of a younger representative of the county there to watch over the electronic voting machines.

So far, I've not had to show my license nor asked which party (I'm listed as "Independent") on my registration card.

We have little curtained "booths" where you go to fill in the sheet.

 

[Hypersmurf]

In other news, "caucus" is totally one of those words that sounds like it should be naughty but isn't.

No, it doesn't.

You Americans and your crazy accents!

-Hyp.

 

[Tonguez]

Coming from a US citizen who doesn't vote until the main election in November, I agree that it takes too long. Gives them too much steam for all the mud that gets slung around..... :\

So you actually get to vote again?
Wow now I am confused

 

[Tonguez]

Originally Posted by Kahuna Burger
In other news, "caucus" is totally one of those words that sounds like it should be naughty but isn't.

No, it doesn't.

but this does

We have little curtained "booths" where you go to fill in the sheet.

 

[Steve Jung]

So you actually get to vote again?
Wow now I am confused

In the primaries, the voters select the candidates who will represent their respective parties in the general election in November. So, yeah we can vote twice.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

So you actually get to vote again?
Wow now I am confused

Those states that have primaries allow people to vote. Then at the main election, you vote between the 2 "finalists" to see who become prez.

In other words: ditto to what he^ said.


And didn't intend for my comment about "curtained booths" being naughty, Tonguez....

 

[Kahuna Burger]

In the primaries, the voters select the candidates who will represent their respective parties in the general election in November. So, yeah we can vote twice.

technically we can vote many, many times in our lives.

But yeah, it's not that weird. In the primaries you vote as a member of a party to guide its direction. Voting for a candidate in a primary is simply a larger and more simplified version of the kind of decisions made if you attend a convention for one of the smaller parties, where many votes are taken on platform issues, party leaders, etc. In the real election, you vote as an American for the elected official, who doesn't even have to be a member of your party if the person you supported in your party didn't win, or you just change your mind in the meantime.

It's no different than if you were picking snacks at a gameday and you both seconded Pirate Booty to get it on the list, then voted for Pirate Booty when they were called off. A nomination and a vote are different and you get to participate in both.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Those states that have primaries allow people to vote. Then at the main election, you vote between the 2 "finalists" to see who become prez.:

Don't forget about the fine political tradition of voting for the "underdog" candidate because you hate the forerunners and you want them to loose votes..

 

[Stormborn]

Those states that have primaries allow people to vote. Then at the main election, you vote between the 2 "finalists" to see who become prez.

Don't forget that even though we have a "two party system" there are typically additional names on the final presedintial ballot in November for the smaller parties like Green, Libertarian, Bull Moose (just kidding - Teddy isn't going to run again at this point), Reform, etc. The last time a 3rd Party Candidate got any kind of real attention was Ross Perot for the Reform party, but Ralph Nadar was also always a recognizable name for the Green party.

The main ballot in November, at least in Alabama, gives you the option of voting for a Party, rather than candidates. IOW instead of voting for President and all the other elections that are usually on the ballot that day you just vote "Republican" or "Democrat" or more rarely one of the other parties if they got enought cadidates on the ballot rather than choosing each one individiually.

I should add that Alabama is also an Open State when it comes to Primaries. You choose which party on the day of the Primary.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Don't forget that even though we have a "two party system" there are typically additional names on the final presedintial ballot in November for the smaller parties. The last time a 3rd Party Candidate got any kind of real attention was Ross Perot for the Reform party, but Ralph Nadar was also always a recognizable name for the Green party

They generally don't have enough members to actually have a chance at the general election which selects the president from the various nominees. Instead some attempt to use their voter blocks to gain concessions on issues from the two major parties. Because things tend to run so close in the general election even a relatively small group on the national scale can potentially tip the results. Perot was the only time in decades a third party has managed to hang with the two biggies for so long.

Bull Moose (just kidding - Teddy isn't going to run again at this point), Reform, etc.

I don't know about you but if Teddy drug himself out of Arlington to run I'd sure vote for him Man there's an idea for a Modern campaign, Teddy Roosevelt the lich