GolfHos

Anyone else going to the polls today?  Our primary is today so I'll be going.  I'm sure my vote for Obama won't prevent Billary from taking our state.  She is up in the polls here pretty big.  But we'll see, hoping for a surprise.  [sm_fingersx] And I really hope our repubs don't go with Huckabee.  He is in a dead heat with McCain around here. 

Too bad we have closed primary election because it really seems the young voters that may be repub/independents lean heavily toward Obama. 

There's something inherently wrong with our system. Some states are winner take all, other are apportioned by results.  In California, if you are an independent, you can vote in the Democratic Primary, but not the Republican.  Other states don't allow independents to vote in any primary.  So much for a "national" representation.

We're a caucus state. I wish it was a primary.

With all the talk of disenfranchising voters the past 8 years I find it interesting that caucuses still exist.


http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/president/15116751.html

DFL caucuses will start at 6:30 p.m. and GOP at 7 p.m. To find caucus locations:

Each party also will conduct presidential preference votes. DFL caucus-goers will be able to cast a secret ballot for a presidential candidate between 6:30 and 8 p.m. The GOP will conduct its vote during the first half-hour of its caucuses.


Can't make it? So sorry but you'll get your chance some day.  [sm_devil]

We're a semi-open primary state. If you're a registered Republican or unaffiliated you can vote in the Republican primary, but unaffiliated voters must register Republican at the polls in order to cast their ballots. They can return their status to unaffiliated after voting. If you're registered Democrat, Independent, or unaffiliated you can vote in the Democratic primary.

I'll be voting, but I'm definitely not a proponent of the system as it exists today. I'd like to see a national open primary in which an individual gets to vote for two candidates. The two candidates with the most primary votes, regardless of political affiliation, get to advance to the general election. I'd also favor losing the Electoral College system and going with a straight popular vote.

I think the primaries should be completely open as well.  I kind of like Spacey's idea.


And on the electoral college, I am now convinced it is utter BS.  People proclaim it helps the single voter be heard, and keeps all elections out of only the major cities.  But I think that is all crap.  My state will never send it's electoral votes to a democrat.  So any vote I make not for a repub isn't counted essentially.  At least the electoral votes shouldn't be winner take all.  If two go to a dem and 5 a repub then it should go to the electoral college that way.  But I'd prefer a complete popular vote.  Maybe even a redo popular vote going back in time to 2000.   [sm_devil]

Heck, they should just do away with the primary system altogether. Have all the candidates pair-up with their running mates from the get-go, and have a single, Chinese downhill-like, national election with all candidates pairs of all parties running simultaneously. This would save a lot of time and money, and nobody can bitch about certain candidates stealing votes from other candidates because everybody would be stealing votes from each other.

or they could just throw then into the mix on  AG and see who's last standing

That means Clinton wins.

Just got back from the polls.  To give you an idea of our uniformed voting populace, a woman walked in and said while seeing one desk for dem and one for repub, "I'm an independent."

They said ok sorry you don't have anything to vote for as this is party primary.  You must be in a party to vote.  The lady was obviously very confused to here this for the first time.   [sm_scratch]

I just got back from voting.  No line when I got there, but 4 people in line as I left.  Paper ballots this time instead of electronic.

The big excitement there was one woman (an independent) had to get a new ballot because she wanted to vote Democrat but didn't realize that she needed to request a Democrat ballot.  As I left, I walked by a poll worker explaining to another dude how he'd have to register as a Republican to vote in that party in the next primary.


(On a personal level, the wife voted opposite of me for prez nomination, so we canceled out each others votes. >:()

LOL


Archie Bunker surrenders

Did any other ballots still have Edwards?  I understand his withdrawal was fairly recent but I wonder how many people will still vote for him. 

We still had Edwards on our ballot.

It's in the plans, but is dependent upon my dad getting home early enough.  Not having the conventional hours is a huge understatement.

Apparently, with nearly 8 hours left before polls close, Utah has already surpassed total voter turnout from the last presidential primary.  :o

I guess you Utes (or Utites or Utahos or whatever it is that you call yourselves) are ashamed of being partially responsible for putting Chimpy in the White House (twice) and are trying to make amends.

We had Joe Biden on our ballot.  wtf?

Nah, we're still quite proud of him in these parts. Strongest support of the president in the nation, lowest per-capita military enrollment in the nation. That's us.

I suspect they're all just lining up to cast their votes for the first viable Mormon presidential candidate.

When we go to vote the polling centres are usually at a Local School and the School or the Local Rotary Club usually cook a BBQ.

This is what voting here is all about: casting your vote and then buying a sausage in bread with onions and tomato sauce for a dollar.   ;D

Just returned from the polls. Holy crap there were more people there than the last general election. Crazy. I wonder if people realize Romney taking Utah with even more votes doesn't mean anything. If I were voting for Romney, I would have turned around and gone home as soon as I saw the parking lot. One old guy in line in front of me pitching a fit because you didn't have to pledge allegiance to the Democratic Party in order to vote in their primary.

Man: "Anyone can just walk in off the street and vote democrat?"
Poll Worker: "Well, no sir, they'd have to be a registered voter in this district."
Man: "But just anyone can vote in their primary?"
Poll Worker: "Well, anyone who's registered in this district as a Democrat or is unaffiliated can vote in their primary."
Man: "What an absolute travesty. I'm glad I'm a registered Republican."

Weird, wild stuff.

Anyway, yeah Biden and Edwards were both on the (electronic) ballot here too. I suppose even though they've dropped out of the race, they're still considered candidates. Or something different entirely, I don't know.

they're on the ballot for profiling purposes.

clinton killing obama  so far according to ABC on states that can be projected.
 [sm_shock]

huckabee takes  georgia and bama
 [sm_shock] [sm_disgust]

Obama will take Cali, but I don't know if we're a winner-take-all state.

McCain is whooping ass right now.

Looks like it may be McCain against Billary.

California votes are apportioned by congressional districts.

LMAO at ABC calling Utah for Romney at precisely 8:00. They could have done it two weeks ago.

Voting controversy in California
http://www.sfgate.com/flat/archive/2008/02/05/chronicle/archive/2008/02/05/MNQOUSIIM.html?tsp=1

 :o

stroh's vote goes for naught. Obama wins Minny.

(http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=71267&rendTypeId=4)

as crazy as he is/was,  i bet we wouldn't have SOME of the problems we have today if he had somehow won in 2000  (we might well have some equally bad other ones though)

It's getting worse.  Widespread reporting of decline to state voters being told they could NOT vote in the primary and were turned away, even after properly asking for a democratic ballot.

somebody's gonna pay.

according to  msnbc ,  clinton wiping up in CA so far with 7% in...  55-33 %.

Would it have taken that long to count the absentee ballots?

'Cause, you know, his big run was in '92.

Well, with the relative stalemate in the Dem primaries, the Democratic Convention is shaping up to be another barn burner  [sm_devil] ;)

McCain seems to have the nob on the Republican side - I'm surprised by Huckabee's showing though.



I didn't vote, again, because I cannot bring myself to declare membership to either party.

i know.

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