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If youre confused about how to vote in Californias presidential primary, youre in good company with Susan Sarandon.
Just one problem: Shes wrong. Political independents do not need to switch parties to vote in the Democratic presidential primary the just need to request a Democratic ballot first.
This is important.
Susan Sarandon
To be fair, the minutiae of California election law is really confusing! And Sarandon is hardly alone. Election day in California is , but already social media has become a bipartisan chorus of wrongness about the what, how and why of the states presidential primary.
If youre unsure about how to get the ballot you want, why things here are so complicated or what presidential primaries are all about, here are four things to know before you vote:
THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY WILL NOT USE THE FAMILIAR TOP TWO BALLOT
California voters can be forgiven for assuming that political party registration doesnt really matter.
In 2010 voters backed a measure to create the states nonpartisan top two election system, in which all primary voters fill out a ballot with every candidate on it regardless of either the voters or the candidates political party. The top two winners then move on to the general election ballot even if theyre both from the same party.
In races for state legislative and congressional seats, the top two method will still reign on the 2020 ballot.
L.A. County voters:
Who Can Vote On Super Tuesday
Eligibility to vote in the Democratic primaries varies from state to state.
For example, registered Democrats and unaffiliated voters in California and North Carolina are able to cast a ballot for one of the Democratic presidential contenders.
However, registered Republicans can’t vote.
In Maine, only registered Democrats can vote – because the state has closed primaries, as opposed to open, which is the case in Texas, where all voters;can vote in the Democratic primary regardless of party registration.
The South Carolina Republican Party announced in September that it would join a list of other states that would not hold a presidential primary this year.
Historically, the South Carolina GOP also didn’t hold primaries when Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were incumbents in 1984 and 2004, respectively.
The states voting are:
- Virginia
Independents In California Can Vote Republican In 2020 Presidential Election
CLAIM: All California voters if you are registered to vote as an independent you will not be able to vote Republican come 2020. You must go online and change to Republican. California changed the rules and is hoping no one figures it out in time.;
APS ASSESSMENT: Partly false. The post does not apply to the general election this fall.;
THE FACTS: During Californias presidential primary election on March 3, independent voters also known as no party preference voters could vote in the Democratic presidential primary without changing their party affiliation, but not in the Republican primary. A post which circulated at the time of the primary is recirculating now to make it appear as though Californias independent voters will not be able to vote Republican in the general election unless they change their party affiliation to Republican.;
California voters please read, says a June 6 Facebook post, featuring a text post spreading the false information about independent voters. The post had more than 5,000 shares.;
The California Secretary of States office confirmed to the AP that independent voters were only barred from voting Republican in the presidential primary. During the general election in November they can vote for a candidate belonging to any party.
https://apnews.com/5515db2b38a26db42b09c5d64451b31e
Heres more information on Facebooks fact-checking program: https://www.facebook.com/help/1952307158131536
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Arguments On The Open And Closed Methods Of Electing Leaders
Political and social analysts have discussed extensively the manner of conducting open and closed primary elections. Some argue in favor of the open primary election. Some also argue in support of the closed primary election. Let us look at their various views to understand what the electoral process stands to benefit from the use of these forms of elections.
Proponents of the closed primary elections are of the view that only members of a political party should be able to vote for the candidate that the political party presents. In this regard, their opponent political party will be unable to influence who the party presents in a general election. They believe that in open primaries, other political parties could play dirty to control the candidate that emerges on the platform of a particular party at the primaries. That way, they can ensure that the candidate representing the other party is the one not likely to draw the popular vote from voters at the general elections.
Thus, the advocates for a closed primary election are of the view that only those of a political party should participate in deciding who represents them as a political party.
Nc Election Bills Unlikely To Become Laws After Senate Votes
RALEIGH, N.C. North Carolina Senate Republicans pushed a trio of election measures through their chamber on Wednesday, including one that would prohibit counting mail-in absentee ballots that arent received by local officials by Election Day.
But unlike other GOP-led legislatures in battleground states that have passed voting restrictions this year, North Carolina has a Democratic governor who could veto the measures, leaving Republicans powerless to override Gov. Roy Cooper if Democrats continue to stay united in opposition. The measures passed the Senate on a party-line vote and now go to the House, where Republicans also have been weighing absentee changes.
Current law allows ballot envelopes postmarked by the day of the election to count if received within a three-day grace period. Although that idea was backed unanimously in separate legislation a dozen years ago by the legislature, Republicans now say the wait for ballots to trickle in delays the finality of results, and moving up the deadline will help lead to earlier outcomes the public wants.
The bill will build confidence in our election system, Sen. Warren Daniel, a Burke County Republican and bill sponsor said during the debate. Everyone saw how long it took North Carolina to declare winners in the presidential election and our U.S. Senate election. And this should help alleviate those concerns.
This bill is not about a national narrative, Daniel said.
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How Can I Follow The Results
For most of the states in play, the results will roll in hours after polls close.
The one exception is California, which is notoriously slow to count its ballots.
The state accepts mail-in ballots up to three days after election day and gives county election officials 30 days to count them.
In 2016, it took over a month to count them all its ballots.
What Do Party Preferences Mean When Listed With Candidates Names On The Ballot What Are The Qualified Political Parties And Abbreviations Of Those Party Names
The term party preference is now used in place of the term party affiliation. A candidate must indicate his or her preference or lack of preference for a qualified political party. If the candidate has a qualified political party preference that qualified political party will be indicated by the candidates name on the ballot. If a candidate does not have a qualified political party preference, Party Preference: None will be indicated by the candidates name on the ballot.
Similarly, voters who were previously known as decline-to-state voters are now known as having no party preference or known as NPP voters.
Abbreviations for the qualified political parties are:
- DEM = Democratic Party
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Professional Vetting Provides Quality Control
Our case so far has dwelt on the shortcomings of the plebiscitary nominating process. So, we ought to re-emphasize: We are not saying that primary elections bring nothing to the table. To the contrary, they surface all kinds of important information about candidates and voters. What we do believe is that two filters are better than one. Electoral and professional perspectives check each others excesses and balance each others viewpoints; and, more than that, they complement and improve each other. Each provides the other with vital information which otherwise might be missed. Perhaps most important, professional input aids in winnowing the field to those who will likely govern competently.
wo filters are better than one. Electoral and professional perspectives check each others excesses and balance each others viewpoints
Insiders look for whether candidates are able to work with others, and whether they have sound judgment, adaptability, a nuanced way of dealing with problems, and influential relationships inside and outside government. Insiders also observe candidates character, and they can detect personal flaws that might affect sound decision-making. Insiders know from experience the attributes and talents necessary for effective governing. Voters are not privy to that kind of detailed, hands-on knowledge.
Vetting not only evaluates politicians; it also helps equip them to govern.
N Carolina Elections Head: Delay 21 City Races 22 Primary
RALEIGH, N.C. â North Carolinaâs top elections administrator on Tuesday urged state lawmakers to move all of this yearâs municipal elections to 2022 and bump back next yearâs primaries from March to May due to delayed Census data.
Census numbers play a crucial role in how legislative districts are redrawn every decade. But even though the data was supposed to be delivered by next month, the federal government does not expect to have it ready to be released;until September;because of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
North Carolina is now either the first state in the nation or among the first to put forward a plan that pushes local government contests to 2022.
Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, cited the Census setbacks as the driving force behind her recommendation to postpone the elections.
She noted that 62 of the more than 500 municipalities across the state need the Census data because candidates submit paperwork or voters cast ballots based on their specific ward or district. While itâs possible for many of the remaining local governments that do not require districts or wards to go forward without the Census data, Bell called on lawmakers to follow her advice in order to address redistricting and avoid confusing voters.
The 2022 primaries include bids for U.S. Senate and House, judicial races and state legislative seats.
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Can A Democrat Vote For A Republican
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party are the two major parties in America. Before the general election takes place, there is a process called the primary election. The primary election is how registered voters determine the candidate for the nomination of each political party for the general election. The general election is the election that determines who becomes the President of America.
The question is, can a democrat vote for a republican?
In answering the question on whether a democrat can vote for a republican, it is essential to note that the answer depends on the type of election in question. For closed primary elections, only persons that register as members of a particular party can vote, and in such a situation, they must vote for their party candidate. For an open primary election, the voters can vote for any party without declaring their affiliation to a political party.
Primary Primers: Why North Carolina May Be One Of The Most Important States In The 2020 Election
While political pundits often focus on well-known swing states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, North Carolina is often considered to be a red or Republican state. Looking at presidential vote share and voter registration data, Christopher Cooper argues that the Tar Heel State is in fact a purple state, and one which could mean the difference between winning or losing a presidential election.;
- This article is part of our Primary Primers series curated by Rob Ledger and Peter Finn . Ahead of the 2020 election, this series explores key themes, ideas, concepts, procedures and events that shape, affect and define the US presidential primary process. If you are interested in contributing to the series contact Rob Ledger or Peter Finn
Both Democrats and Republicans agree: victory in 2020 runs through North Carolina. Whichever party wins in NC will likely prevail on Election Day. -North Carolina Republican mailer. May 20, 2020.
Since at least 2008, North Carolina has been one of the key states which determine who occupies 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. In fact, as the above quote from a Republican Party mailer suggests, North Carolina may be the single most important state in this Presidential election.
Figure 1 North Carolinas Rank in Presidential Democratic Vote Share Among 50 states
Figure 2 North Carolina Voter Registration 1974-2020
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From Ohio To Florida Your Cheat Sheet For The Next Crucial Primaries
Five states voting Tuesday could be make-or-break for some presidential candidates. A primer on whos voting and what outcomes are likeliest
Tue 15 Mar 2016 11.00;GMT Last modified on Fri 9 Feb 2018 19.15;GMT
On 15 March, the names of the remaining presidential candidates Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio and John Kasich on the Republican side, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders for the Democrats will be on ballot papers in five states and one US territory. Although this Tuesday will be less frantic than Super Tuesday two weeks ago, when 12 states and one territory held primary elections, its just as important. By 16 March, the race for the White House could look very different depending on how Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio vote.
Thats partly because the delegate numbers in those states are so high in total, 367 Republican and 792 Democratic delegates are available on 15 March. That brings us significantly closer to the finish line of having just two presidential candidates: at the moment, 33% of Democratic delegates have been pledged but by the time the polls have closed on 15 March, that number will rise to 50%. For Republicans, pledged delegates will jump from 46% to 61%.
Those percentages just mean that playing catch-up gets harder from here. Clinton is still on track for the Democratic nomination to change that, Sanders needs to pick up at least 326 of the pledged delegates .
California Independents Can Vote In Democrats 2020 Primary
SACRAMENTO, Calif. Californias more than 5.6 million independent voters will be allowed to vote in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, but not in the Republican contest, Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced Monday.
The two parties have used a similar setup in recent presidential primaries.
The states presidential primary will be held on March 3, 2020, known as Super Tuesday, because of the large number of state contests that day. California is one of the biggest prizes, offering nearly 500 delegates in the Democratic nominating contest.
Independent voters, known in the state as no party preference, make up roughly 28% of registered California voters. But experts predict theyll make up just 15% of the Democratic primary electorate because of extra steps they need to take to get a presidential ballot, said Paul Mitchell, who runs the nonpartisan firm Political Data, Inc., which gathers and sells voter data.
More independent voters in California lean Democratic than Republican, but more call themselves moderate than liberal or conservative, according to the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California . But Mitchell said the independents who go through the effort of voting in the Democratic contest are likely to be young, more diverse and more progressive.
But the presidential primary doesnt work that way. Independent voters will need to specifically ask for a Democratic ballot at the polls or by mail ahead of the primary.
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Nasty Nc Senate Primary Tests Trumps Sway Over The Gop
Three Republicans are already turning on each other in the race, where the sitting senator and the former president disagree over who can win.
Former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Rep. Ted Budd at the North Carolina Republican Convention this month caught some candidates off-guard. | Chris Seward/AP Photo
06/21/2021 12:33 PM EDT
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Donald Trump has endorsed conservative Rep. Ted Budd in North Carolinas critical Senate race, the former president’s first foray into an open primary in a battleground. That state’s retiring Republican senator has other ideas.
Sen. Richard Burr praised North Carolina’s former GOP governor, Pat McCrory, as the only one in the race that can win the general election” for the seat Burr is vacating. Pat McCrory has a commanding advantage,” Burr added.
Behind the scenes, Burr is even less subtle about next year’s Senate battle. One Republican senator said Burr is telling everyone that McCrory is the only one that has a chance to win. And the laid-back incumbent, who voted to convict Trump of inciting an insurrection in February, also appeared puzzled by the former president’s decision-making in North Carolina.
I cant tell you what motivates him,” Burr said of Trump. “Ive never seen individuals endorse a candidate a year before the primary. Thats unusual.
I just want to win in November. And I dont have any view of the primary in that regard, McConnell said when asked about Trumps endorsement.
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Its Primary Day In Pennsylvania Heres What Voters Need To Know
- By
- Laura Benshoff
May 18, 2021
Voters, wearing protective face masks as a precaution against the coronavirus, stand at a distance from each other as they wait in line to casts their ballot in the Pennsylvania primary in Philadelphia, Tuesday, June 2, 2020.
Its Primary Day in Pennsylvania.
Voters around the commonwealth will pick representatives from their parties to put on the ballot for the November general election. In Philadelphia, where Democrats outnumber Republicans seven to one, the primary can be more determinative than the general election.
Judicial races, school board seats, and the Philadelphia District Attorneys office are all in the running.
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