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Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Oh, Yeah, It’s Primary Day

posted by on February 19 at 11:07 AM

If you’re a Republican, your vote counts. Sort of.

If you’re a Democrat, your vote doesn’t count. Although Hillary Clinton’s local supporters think it might count for something.

Here’s the NYT’s take:

It appears that the primary, first approved in a 1988 referendum with the goal of giving greater voice to voters who might not be able or inclined to attend a party caucus, may have the distinction of being one of the few essentially irrelevant contests in a presidential race so fierce this year that even outposts like Idaho and Alaska have nudged their way into the national spotlight for a moment or two.

RSS icon Comments

1

Prediction: Embarrassing defeat for Clinton.

Posted by elenchos | February 19, 2008 11:20 AM
2

I still love that Hillary is trying to prove Washington *really* supports her, not Barack, based on primary result which by now pretty much everyone knows don't count.

Its ironic that she claims caucus voters are all party activists, yet she is trying to prove how much they misrepresent the general pool of voters by rallying *her* campaign activists to vote in the primary.

I'm just glad I sent my ballot in anyway.

Posted by Queen_of_Sleaze | February 19, 2008 11:22 AM
3

Predicition: Wisconsin says No to Sen Clinton's Tactics of Fear.

P.S.: You're using Obama's phrases, Sen Clinton ... and we know it.

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 19, 2008 11:56 AM
4

I would love to see the caucus votes compared to the primary votes. I still think it's really fucked up that you have to physically be at the caucus place at a specific hour in order to vote in the caucus. I know a lot of people who sent in their primary ballots but couldn't make it to the caucus. It's a ridiculous voting system.

Posted by Carollani | February 19, 2008 12:14 PM
5

#4, taxpayers are footing the bill for the GOP to select half of their state delegates. THAT is what makes it fucked up, not actively participating in the process to select the nominee for the PARTY.

Posted by stunk | February 19, 2008 12:44 PM
6

The irony is that it's usually the Republicans who are desperately trying to suppress the popular vote.

I wish we were like Australia, with mandatory voting. No vote = no car tabs, no IRS refund, no library card.

Posted by Fnarf | February 19, 2008 12:55 PM
7

stopped by my precinct hdqtrs. on queen anne around 11:30 this morning to cast my "irrelevant" vote for barack.

i was the only voter present for the 4 minutes this visit lasted.

has anyone else gone to their precinct today? can't see how today's primary could draw more participation than the caucuses. oh yeah, absentee balloting; but with close to 45% of those ballots disqualified for failure to declare party affliation, it will be interesting to learn how many qualified votes are cast today.

Posted by cineaste | February 19, 2008 1:02 PM
8

I voted a blank ballot. Screw you, national democrats. First you take away our open primary, then you ignore the partisan primary we make to replace it. Fuck you and your shit-tastic party process.

Posted by Greg | February 19, 2008 1:02 PM
9

And by 'national,' I mean 'state.' Still, national democrats aren't off the hook yet either.

Posted by Greg | February 19, 2008 1:03 PM
10

excellent idea imho, fnarf.

and though polls/pollworkers will be extinct here as of next year, it would be a novel idea to make one day of poll work similar in scope to jury duty...

Posted by jezbian | February 19, 2008 1:04 PM
11

Well, there were two voters who showed up when I dropped off my absentee ballot this morning, cineaste.

And I remembered to check the box on the back of the outer envelope too.

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 19, 2008 1:04 PM
12

I lost my ballot in my black hole of an apartment. I would go to my polling place, but really who gives a shit?

Posted by keshmeshi | February 19, 2008 1:15 PM
13

Vote Kucinich. It'll make you feel better.

Posted by DOUG. | February 19, 2008 1:30 PM
14

I wrote in Gore. Shit, if it doesn't count, why not put who I really want?

Posted by Geni | February 19, 2008 2:19 PM
15

In the caucus I voted for Bunker Hillary.

Today I voted for My-Cock-a-Bee at the polls though I pledged to be a Democrat.

How soon may I expect the FBI (Federal Bureau of [voting] Insignificance to come calling? I was the only voter there.

Posted by THANK YOU, KEN SCHRAM | February 19, 2008 4:23 PM
16

Um, your vote was discarded, @15. If the boxes don't match, you must acquit.

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 19, 2008 4:57 PM
17

Why is the county involved in conducting the nomination process for political parties anyway? We're all paying to conduct Democratic and Republican party business.

Posted by Phil M | February 19, 2008 8:14 PM
18

What boxes? I don't have to show you no stinking boxes!

Posted by THANK YOU, KEN SCHRAM | February 19, 2008 10:48 PM
19

I was corrected, @18, it turns out only us permanent absentee voters had to check a box saying we were a dem or a republicant. People who vote in person didn't have to check ANY.

Darn.

Posted by Will in Seattle | February 19, 2008 11:18 PM

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