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2008-01-07 6:11 PM

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Subject: Dumb question from a non-American

Hi guys, the news over here at the moment is about Barak Obama and Hilary Clinton and some others...

What's a Primary? We have a prime minister not a president, and I don't understand the political system over there. I don't really know what they mean when they say a Primary, is it some kind of preliminary popularity poll to get a clue about the election results>

Could someone please explain for a dumb kiwi?

Thanks heaps,

Jac



2008-01-07 6:20 PM
in reply to: #1140133

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Master
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American

we narrow the field until the majority of states have had either a primary or a causus - All the candidates in the democratic party are selling themselves to all the democrat voters.  And vice versa all the republican candidates are selling themselves to the republicans voters. it's unusual for a democrat voter to be able to vote for a republican candidate - it's usually along party lines on how the field is narrowed down .  Then each party has a huge convention where the party officially announces who is running.  then it's a race between the 2 candidates with sometimes a 3rd person in the "independant party" running against each other. 

How's that for a simple explaination?

2008-01-07 6:22 PM
in reply to: #1140133

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Melon Presser
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
mathsgeek - 2008-01-07 4:11 PM

Hi guys, the news over here at the moment is about Barak Obama and Hilary Clinton and some others...

What's a Primary? We have a prime minister not a president, and I don't understand the political system over there. I don't really know what they mean when they say a Primary, is it some kind of preliminary popularity poll to get a clue about the election results>

Could someone please explain for a dumb kiwi?

Thanks heaps,

Jac

Not dumb at all. I don't know much about the NZ political process, either.

This is as good and short an explanation as I've seen (for primary elections):

http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/politicalsystem/a/delegateprocess.htm

Hope that helps! I tried to explain/clarify, but as the process actually varies from state to state, the above link really is the best explanation.

 

2008-01-07 6:27 PM
in reply to: #1140133

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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American

Woah! So, really the Primary is like the heats, the conventions are the semi-final, and the election is the final?

Ours seems much easier, but then there are only 4 million of us, you could just phone everyone and ask them who they wanted!!

Thanks heaps for the explanations.  I hate feeling like a twit not understanding what's going on.

One other question then: I saw that voters have to register as belonging to Republicans or Democrats; can you change your preference? Are you required to register prior to elections each time or are you locked in from your initial registration at age 18 or 21 or whatever?

Thanks, Jac

2008-01-07 6:30 PM
in reply to: #1140133

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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
2008-01-07 6:32 PM
in reply to: #1140133

Subject: ...
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2008-01-07 6:44 PM
in reply to: #1140173

Melon Presser
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
mathsgeek - 2008-01-07 4:27 PM

Woah! So, really the Primary is like the heats, the conventions are the semi-final, and the election is the final?

Ours seems much easier, but then there are only 4 million of us, you could just phone everyone and ask them who they wanted!!

Thanks heaps for the explanations.  I hate feeling like a twit not understanding what's going on.

One other question then: I saw that voters have to register as belonging to Republicans or Democrats; can you change your preference? Are you required to register prior to elections each time or are you locked in from your initial registration at age 18 or 21 or whatever?

Thanks, Jac

Again, not a twit at all. It's not like we really understand it either . As far as registering, what you initially register as sticks, but you can change your party affiliation at any time, although there's usually some time limit before pending elections so that the change can actually be processed and you can vote as belonging to your new party.

2008-01-07 6:51 PM
in reply to: #1140173

Buttercup
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
mathsgeek - 2008-01-07 7:27 PM

One other question then: I saw that voters have to register as belonging to Republicans or Democrats; can you change your preference? Are you required to register prior to elections each time or are you locked in from your initial registration at age 18 or 21 or whatever?

Thanks, Jac

Actually, you do not have to register as either Republican or Democrat. There are many other parties. You can also register as No Party Afilliation (NPA) which some people mistakenly label as Independent. That is understandable since the media often refers to independent voters. There is actually an Independent Party, which is not the same as NPA.

You can change your party affiliation anytime you want. States differ in their rules about whether NPA's may vote in the primaries or not. Florida does not allow it (my prior homestate) but other states do allow it.

You are required to be registered to vote before voting day. In NC, that means 60 days before election day. Not sure about other states.

2008-01-07 7:06 PM
in reply to: #1140228

Master
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American

"Actually, you do not have to register as either Republican or Democrat. There are many other parties. You can also register as No Party Afilliation (NPA) which some people mistakenly label as Independent. That is understandable since the media often refers to independent voters. There is actually an Independent Party, which is not the same as NPA."

 Correct, but if you are not registered with a party, you CANNOT vote in that parties primary.  I saw a woman who had registered as independent get quite upset at the polls in 2004 because she could not vote for who could get on the Democratic ticket.  She just couldn't get it through her head that she could vote for whoever she wanted in November, but could not vote on who the parties actually put forward. 

And to the OP, thanks for the post you just reminded me I need to request an absentee ballot.



Edited by Aviator1596 2008-01-07 7:06 PM
2008-01-07 7:08 PM
in reply to: #1140250

Buttercup
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
Aviator1596 - 2008-01-07 8:06 PM

you CANNOT vote in that parties primary. 

Depends on the state. You can't vote in primaries in FL. You can in Montana, for example. A friend of mine in NC tells me that I can in NC. I need to register and find out!

2008-01-07 7:10 PM
in reply to: #1140257

Master
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
Renee - 2008-01-07 7:08 PM
Aviator1596 - 2008-01-07 8:06 PM

you CANNOT vote in that parties primary. 

Depends on the state. You can't vote in primaries in FL. You can in Montana, for example. A friend of mine in NC tells me that I can in NC. I need to register and find out!

 

Really???  Wow, I didn't know that.  In California you couldn't.  I'll have to check that out.



2008-01-07 7:13 PM
in reply to: #1140265

Buttercup
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
Aviator1596 - 2008-01-07 8:10 PM
Renee - 2008-01-07 7:08 PM
Aviator1596 - 2008-01-07 8:06 PM

you CANNOT vote in that parties primary. 

Depends on the state. You can't vote in primaries in FL. You can in Montana, for example. A friend of mine in NC tells me that I can in NC. I need to register and find out!

Really???  Wow, I didn't know that.  In California you couldn't.  I'll have to check that out.

I didn't know that either! Not until I moved to NC and remarked to my friends that I couldn't vote in the primaries because I'm NPA. My Montana friend told me that was not the case for her, and my NC friend told me that she was pretty sure that wasn't the case in NC. I still need to verify but I have plenty of time - NC primaries aren't until MAY!

2008-01-07 7:25 PM
in reply to: #1140133

Pro
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
I just came into this thread to mention how much I like TriAya's avatar.

Oh, and politics are good...or something.
2008-01-07 7:30 PM
in reply to: #1140272

Master
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
Renee - 2008-01-07 7:13 PM

I didn't know that either! Not until I moved to NC and remarked to my friends that I couldn't vote in the primaries because I'm NPA. My Montana friend told me that was not the case for her, and my NC friend told me that she was pretty sure that wasn't the case in NC. I still need to verify but I have plenty of time - NC primaries aren't until MAY!

 Wiki has a good page on it.  Interesting...  There is closed, semi-open, and open.  I feel good about learning something new today!!!

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

2008-01-07 7:37 PM
in reply to: #1140257

Science Nerd
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
Renee - 2008-01-07 8:08 PM
Aviator1596 - 2008-01-07 8:06 PM

you CANNOT vote in that parties primary.

Depends on the state. You can't vote in primaries in FL. You can in Montana, for example. A friend of mine in NC tells me that I can in NC. I need to register and find out!

I'm not registered for either party, but I can vote in the primaries in Virginia.   

2008-01-07 7:45 PM
in reply to: #1140257

Pro
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
Renee - 2008-01-07 5:08 PM
Aviator1596 - 2008-01-07 8:06 PM

you CANNOT vote in that parties primary.

Depends on the state. You can't vote in primaries in FL. You can in Montana, for example. A friend of mine in NC tells me that I can in NC. I need to register and find out!

To clarify, in Montana, we do not register party affiliation at all. We just show up on election day and decide whether we're in more of a Republican sort of mood or a Democrat sort of mood. No such thing as NPA here, or perhaps we're all NPA...



Edited by kimj81 2008-01-07 7:45 PM


2008-01-07 9:08 PM
in reply to: #1140173

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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
mathsgeek - 2008-01-07 6:27 PM

Woah! So, really the Primary is like the heats, the conventions are the semi-final, and the election is the final?

Ours seems much easier, but then there are only 4 million of us, you could just phone everyone and ask them who they wanted!!

Thanks heaps for the explanations.  I hate feeling like a twit not understanding what's going on.

One other question then: I saw that voters have to register as belonging to Republicans or Democrats; can you change your preference? Are you required to register prior to elections each time or are you locked in from your initial registration at age 18 or 21 or whatever?

Thanks, Jac

Congratulations!  Because of this post you now know more about the US election process then most Americans do

2008-01-07 9:15 PM
in reply to: #1140352

Champion
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
kimj81 - 2008-01-07 7:45 PM

Renee - 2008-01-07 5:08 PM
Aviator1596 - 2008-01-07 8:06 PM

you CANNOT vote in that parties primary.

Depends on the state. You can't vote in primaries in FL. You can in Montana, for example. A friend of mine in NC tells me that I can in NC. I need to register and find out!

To clarify, in Montana, we do not register party affiliation at all. We just show up on election day and decide whether we're in more of a Republican sort of mood or a Democrat sort of mood. No such thing as NPA here, or perhaps we're all NPA...



I hear the NRA is big up there too.

I'm an NPA from Nebraska. So basically my vote matters not for the dems.
2008-01-08 11:28 AM
in reply to: #1140335

Champion
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Subject: RE: Dumb question from a non-American
Artemis - 2008-01-07 7:37 PM
Renee - 2008-01-07 8:08 PM
Aviator1596 - 2008-01-07 8:06 PM

you CANNOT vote in that parties primary.

Depends on the state. You can't vote in primaries in FL. You can in Montana, for example. A friend of mine in NC tells me that I can in NC. I need to register and find out!

I'm not registered for either party, but I can vote in the primaries in Virginia.   

That's correct, Virginia has no "registered" voters of any party, anyone can vote in any primary...but only once   

Edit to add, the major parties in Virginia may or may not actually hold primaries. Sometimes a mass meeting is called rather than a primary



Edited by ride_like_u_stole_it 2008-01-08 11:30 AM
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