The discussion about whether Delaware primary elections should be open to all registered voters doesn’t even merit consideration. Any political party can have a primary election, but it’s doubtful that any third party would have two or more candidates for a given office and, therefore, require a primary election. Instead, it’s usually just the Republican and Democratic parties that have candidates in primaries.
Allowing voters who are not registered as either Republican or Democrat to vote in the Republican or the Democratic primary would corrupt the voting system. I’m a Republican, and when I go to vote in the primary election, I have no choice but to vote for the Republicans who are running. I can’t vote for the Democratic candidates. Same goes for the registered Democrats who go to vote; they can only vote for Democrats running for office.
So, if you were to allow an independent voter to vote in the primaries, could he vote in the Republican primary and the Democratic primary or would he have to select only one party’s primary to vote in? The whole discussion is just absurd.
No, the primary elections are for party members to choose their candidates. No nonparty member should be given a voice in this process. End of story.
James Webster
Dover
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