HelpfulGardener.com

So I am registering to vote today in our up coming ...whatever it's called. I don't do politics... I don't talk about them, I don't think much about it all unless it has something that directly affect's my personal life... Well I didn't, of course now I'm 27 and I'm beginning to realize that not only do I have a vote but that even if I don't affect the political world... the political world can and will affect my world. So here I am filling out my California voter's registration and I have it all done besides this one teensy question...


"Do you want to register with a political party?"

Umm... ok well I don't know what I am or what to check. I'm voting yes on prop 19 so I guess I'm a....umm.... is it called liberal? any way's can someone help me out here? My step dad say's I'm a Democrat because I'm poor and only the rich people are republican's.....

Find out if you have to register in a party. This varies state to state. In TN, we do not, or don't have to, can't remember. In a primary declare that day at the voting precinct (D or R). and the primaries for your that-day party are shown. In any regular election, can vote one person D another R on down the list. Hope this makes sense and helps.

I have no clue what the proposition is that you are voting for.
But, questions like that are not based on a partyline.

And as is posted, come November, it won't matter, you can vote for anyone you want to.

But new laws, changes to laws etc. are not based on a party or no party.

Don't let someone decide that you are a dem or rep for you, if you don't know, just pick one you like the sound of or go independant.

Then start listening to the candidates and pick the one that you agree with most often, you won't agree with any of them 100% of the time.

I don't like politics, but I did attend one political rally and heard all the candidates, and picked who I liked what they had to say. And my guy won the primary, so... we see what happens from here. Sometimes you just have to go to one rally to hear them debate or talk and you know who you want to win, sometimes they all sound the same, whether dems or rep... no fresh ideas... some times. Make a score card and give them pluses for good ideas and minuses for bad, then count them up and support the one with the most good ideas.

If California has closed primaries, you should register independent or with the party you lean towards. Check on this. In some states, only democrats or republicans allow independents to vote in their primary.

If you think you're liberal, then probably democrat. If it's an open primary that only matters in the primary. They will ask you which ballot you want.


Registration preference doesn't matter unless as I said, one or the other party only allows independents.. Like someone else said, in the final election you can vote for whoever you want.

If you are going to vote, do yourself and all of us a favor. Inform yourself. It's worth the effort to learn what candidates stand for. A lot of lives were given so that we have this privilege.

In Oregon if you put down independent you become a member of the independent party. I will say no more about poly-ticks out of respect for the rules here.

I am in California too. In California, choosing a party gives you the option to vote in party primaries to select a candidate within that party to run in an election. If you are politically neutral (as you seem to describe yourself) then there may not be a reason to join any party if you are not interested in participating in primaries and supporting one party over another. Good onya for participating in the process!

Very true: politics affects our lives each and every day. Vote every chance you get.

The primary system in California is in flux. The June primary (as in 1998) approved an open system. However, in 1998, the courts struck it down. Who knows what will happen this time? Stay tuned; the next primary will be June 2012.

But for now:

Dig down on the voter registration form. There are six recognized political parties in the State of California, and I'll list them in reverse alphabetical order:

Republican
Peace & Freedom
Libertarian
Green
Democrat
American Independent

If, after looking into these parties, you feel that you don't identify with any of them, you also have the option of registering as "Decline to State." This is the equivalent of "non-aligned."

BE CAREFUL: The American Independent party IS A PARTY. It is an affiliation. It is not the same as "independent," as in many other states. If you want to be an "independent voter," as those in other states have described, you *must* choose "Decline to State" in California. However, if one of the six recognized political parties feels comfortable to you, go ahead and check the box next to its name when you send in the registration form.

Cynthia H., in another life a ballot-access activist
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

When I was younger I hardly got stuck in at all. "What's the difference?", "They're all the same.", "One vote doesn't make a difference.", and all the other stupid stuff we say came easily. Getting off my butt did not.

Now I rue every vote I missed. Every chance to tell them they were wrong, misguided, and not doing it like I wanted. People talk about throwing away a vote on the Green Party and such, but there is no wasted vote. Every time you take up a ballot, you are informing the powers that be of what you hold important. Together that message is powerful.

We will not choose sides here, we will not pick any side other than the ones that support our right to garden, and breathe, and eat and drink good clean things we can raise ourselves. The rest is not in our purview and I hope it never is. But I will say get out there and make your voice heard or you may regret it later...

Scott

I never missed voting. Not once. Not ever. My first vote was by write in from the South China Sea. That's Vietnam for the children here

I'm still trying to figure out why no one ever told me I am rich before. I'll have to tell the wife and maybe we can afford to go to a movie tonight.

Ted

tedln wrote:I'm still trying to figure out why no one ever told me I am rich before. I'll have to tell the wife and maybe we can afford to go to a movie tonight.

Ted

I wish I was as rich as my wife thinks I am.

I was on Life Styles Of The Poor and nobodys.

The one thing about politics is that if you ignore enough facts you can make any argument. I prefer not to argue; not here any how.

tomf wrote:The one thing about politics is that if you ignore enough facts you can make any argument. I prefer not to argue; not here any how.

Yep, Arguing don't do no good! I always just let people figure out for themselves that the paint is wet and the stove is hot. I can't understand though why they go back and feel the paint and the stove again just to make sure. I guess it takes some folks awhile to catch on.

Ted

Not only that but I do not see how other people can think they are right when I am the only one who is.

I hope every one knows that statement above is a joke.