Republican Voters Crossover: Who Came Out on Top?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of Republican voters potentially crossing over to participate in Democratic primaries, particularly in the context of the 2008 election cycle. Participants explore motivations, implications, and the mechanics of voting in open and closed primaries, as well as the broader electoral landscape.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that Republican voters may cross over to vote in Democratic primaries to influence the outcome against candidates they dislike, citing personal experiences.
  • Others express skepticism about the extent of crossover voting, referencing reports of low crossover rates in certain primaries.
  • There is a viewpoint that the general election will hinge more on independent voters rather than crossover votes, with concerns about racial biases affecting voter behavior.
  • Some argue that John McCain's campaign missteps could lead to voter fatigue, potentially benefiting Democratic candidates.
  • Participants question the ethics and mechanics of crossover voting, raising concerns about possible sabotage of the opposing party's candidate selection.
  • There is a discussion about the differences in primary systems across states, particularly regarding open versus closed primaries and the ability to change party affiliation.
  • Concerns are raised about voting technology, specifically referencing Diebold, and its impact on election excitement and integrity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on crossover voting, with no clear consensus on its prevalence or implications. There are differing views on the effectiveness and ethics of such voting practices, as well as the impact of technology on elections.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include varying state laws regarding primary voting, differing perceptions of voter behavior, and unresolved questions about the influence of technology on election outcomes.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those studying electoral politics, primary voting systems, and the dynamics of voter behavior in the context of party affiliation.

undrcvrbro
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It's definitely a possibility that many of the republican voters who know McCain has their party in a choke hold are crossing over to vote in the democratic primary against whoever they despise more. I know I did. I voted for O'bama, but somehow Clinton came through on top. I guess there's more women over 80 in Ohio than I had thought.
 
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I'm considering it for the PA primary, but it seems cumbersome and I'm lazy...

I heard on the news today that there hasn't been much crossover vote (10% in one open primary I think), but dunno. The hotter the campaing gets (and the more irrelevant the Republican primarys have become), the more crossover there might be.
 
russ_watters said:
I'm considering it for the PA primary, but it seems cumbersome and I'm lazy...

I heard on the news today that there hasn't been much crossover vote (10% in one open primary I think), but dunno. The hotter the campaing gets (and the more irrelevant the Republican primarys have become), the more crossover there might be.

I think we all realize that regardless, it will be McCain vs. O'Bama, and at this point crossover really can't be too serious of an issue.

In the general election, on the other hand, it's the independents that will win it. I just can't see a plurality of people voting for a black man. I'm sorry. Maybe I'm racist (gasp).
 
Normally, I'd say that the US isn't "ready" for a black president, but McCain shoots himself in the foot on a daily basis. I think people will get fed up with him more than they will be against Obama or Clinton.
 
Yes, agreed McCain has only hurt himself. He'd probably be better off just stopping all publicity towards himself until the generals. He has no need for it.
 
That happened in Fl as well. http://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/results/vote-polls/FL.html" voted in Florida's "closed" Republican Primary. All it took to register as a Republican in that primary was to register as one 30 days before the election. With the Democrat Primary essentially meaningless, it is very likely that there was significant crossover.
 
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Thats something I don't quite understand about US primaries.
If you are a member of (say) the republican party - how do you vote to choose the democrat candidate?
Doesn't this just lead to sabotage - couldn't (eg) republicans could vote for a no-hope or joke democrat candidate to wreck the competition?
 
mgb_phys said:
Thats something I don't quite understand about US primaries.
If you are a member of (say) the republican party - how do you vote to choose the democrat candidate?
Doesn't this just lead to sabotage - couldn't (eg) republicans could vote for a no-hope or joke democrat candidate to wreck the competition?

Yes. It happens all the time. It's probably how Bush got elected both times (well, that and Diebold...). And some people think this is ethical. :rolleyes:

It's the American Way.
 
That's the problem with Dielbold - it might be efficent but it does take all the excitement out of an election
 
  • #10
mgb_phys said:
Thats something I don't quite understand about US primaries.
If you are a member of (say) the republican party - how do you vote to choose the democrat candidate?
Doesn't this just lead to sabotage - couldn't (eg) republicans could vote for a no-hope or joke democrat candidate to wreck the competition?
For the primaries, every state is different, but some have "open" primaries that let anyone vote for any party and some give you the ability to change your afiliation a month ahead of the primary.
 
  • #11
mgb_phys said:
That's the problem with Dielbold - it might be efficent but it does take all the excitement out of an election
You're mostly right. In Florida's election in 2000, the problems were almost entirely related to the paper ballots. In fact, I think part of what worries people is that having the ballot be truly secret takes away the potential for ambiguity. There's no wiggle room without chads to argue about and sue over.

But people want drama, so if the results aren't what you are looking for and there isn't anything else to argue about, blame Diebold.
 

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