42 replies to this topic

[Cotuit]

This is an open thread to discuss the upcoming primary election.

Please visit: http://www.sec.state.ri.us/vic/ to look up your voter information, candidates running, polling places, etc.

This thread as always, should remain civil. People are welcome to discuss who they endorse and why. If you know any candidates who would like to comment, they are invited to (provided they obey all other UP rules, and confine the discussion of the election to this thread).

If this topic gets out of hand, I will close it down in a heartbeat. However I do trust that everyone here can have a civil discussion about the candidates and the issues.

This thread will close after the polls close in the primary, and a new thread will be opened for the November General Election.

If you haven't registered to vote SHAME SHAME SHAME on you! It's too late to register for the Primary, but you may register until October 7th for the November General Election, do so now:

http://www.elections...6/2006elect.htm

And if you're on your way from, oh, I don't know, Arizona, you can still register for the General.

[jencoleslaw]

just vote!  don't let other people decide for you.

[AriPVD]

I can't speak for anyone but Cliff Wood, who is running against Rita Williams in Ward 2.  Cliff is a dynamic guy, a young parent and a true friend of urbanism.  He will be an ally and advocate of most of the things we preach on here.

[webbage]

I'm going to be watching this election closely on both the national and state levels. I'll be old enough to vote in 2008, so I want to know who my representatives will be.

Personally, I think Cotuit should run. He seems somewhat knowledgeable about Providence and Rhode Island.

Edited by webbage, 31 August 2006 - 07:38 PM.

[Cotuit]

webbage, on Aug 31 2006, 09:37 PM, said:

I'll be old enough to vote in 2008

Ok, if you're not old enough to register you don't have to be ashamed for not registering.  

[runawayjim]

so here's a dumb question (or maybe not so dumb because i heard something that didn't sound right).

in CT (where i came from originally), you can only vote in a primary if you are registered and affiliated with a party and you can only vote in that party's primary (so if you're a registered democrat, you can only vote in teh democratic primary).

someone told me that in RI, it doesn't matter how you're registered, you can vote in any primary.  is this true?

[runawayjim]

so i just looked at the ballots for me... i don't think i've ever seen so many positions up for grabs in a primary.  can the parties here not agree on anything?

[Cotuit]

I think if you are unenrolled (i.e. not registered to either party) you can choose at the polling place which you want to vote in, but if you are registered as one or the other, you have to take that party's ballot. Also, if you are unenrolled, voting in a primary enrolls you in the party that you voted in. You then have to unenroll. In Massachusetts, there's none of this unenrolling nonsense.

[runawayjim]

Cotuit, on Aug 31 2006, 09:53 PM, said:

I think if you are unenrolled (i.e. not registered to either party) you can choose at the polling place which you want to vote in, but if you are registered as one or the other, you have to take that party's ballot. Also, if you are unenrolled, voting in a primary enrolls you in the party that you voted in. You then have to unenroll. In Massachusetts, there's none of this unenrolling nonsense.

oh well... i didn't unenroll... i was hoping to vote in the republican primary to keep chafee.  

[urbie]

Cotuit, on Aug 31 2006, 07:21 PM, said:

And if you're on your way from, oh, I don't know, Arizona, you can still register for the General.

The interesting thing, out here, is that they've gone whole-hog for "early balloting" (voting by mail). It has greatly increased voter turnout -- but also changes the dynamic that goes on in the fall, because so many people vote early.  An "October Surprise," were one to be attempted, would have a lot less effect here, because a lot of people would already have voted!

Urb

[runawayjim]

urbie, on Sep 1 2006, 12:54 AM, said:

The interesting thing, out here, is that they've gone whole-hog for "early balloting" (voting by mail). It has greatly increased voter turnout -- but also changes the dynamic that goes on in the fall, because so many people vote early.  An "October Surprise," were one to be attempted, would have a lot less effect here, because a lot of people would already have voted!

Urb

does that have anything to do with arizona becmoing the florida of the west?

[MikeR]

runawayjim, on Aug 31 2006, 09:43 PM, said:

so here's a dumb question (or maybe not so dumb because i heard something that didn't sound right).
someone told me that in RI, it doesn't matter how you're registered, you can vote in any primary.  is this true?

NEGATIVE!!!  My dad is Chair for the Board of Canvassers in Tiverton (I've heard enough talk about election laws at the dinner table to know... ).  If you are registered voter and declared party affiliation, you're only recourse is to vote to in the party's primary races you're affiliated with.  The deadline to disaffiliate prior to voting in the primary is 30 days prior to the primary, which has long passed.

If you're registered with a political party, and you want to vote in the primary for a different political party, you're out of luck.  You can only vote in your party's primary.  NOTE - this does not pertain to unaffiliated voters; you can vote in any party’s primary.

THINGS TO KNOW WHEN VOTING IN A PRIMARY:

1. If you're an unaffiliated voter, and you vote in a primary election you are free to vote in any politcal party's primary, BUT, after you finish voting, you automatically become affiliated with that political party you cast your votes for.

2. After you vote in a primary, and you want to either remain unaffiliated, or disaffiliate yourself from a political party, you must fill out an affidavit at the polling place disaffiliating yourself.  Lots of people forget to do this, and when the next primary comes up, they find out until its' too late that they are affiliated with a political party.

3. The chain of command at a polling place is; The moderator, the clerk, and the supervisors.  The moderator runs the show at a voting district; you will usually find him/her stationed at the voting machine(s).  The clerk is the one who collects and files all the forms filled out by the voters and handed back in.  The supervisors are the ones who check your voting eligibility in the rolls.  If you have any questions about the affiliating/disaffiliating process, ask the moderator.  You fill out your disaffiliating affidavit after you vote, and these forms are usually located near the voting machines.  You hand these affidavits into the clerk after you fill them out.

4. If you intend to disaffiliate, please remember to fill out the affidavit.  I can't tell you how many times I've assisted and stood by my dad when voters found out they could not vote in a political party's primary because they forgot to disaffiliate.  It is your responsibility to disaffiliate after voting in a primary.  Primary elections exist for political parties to whittle down the number of candidates to be placed onto the general election.  Voting in a primary means you "cast your lot" with a particular political party and you remain so until you disaffiliate.

That all for now..!

[Cotuit]

WBNA

[jencoleslaw]

you know what i hate? When perfectly healthy trees fall victim to primaries and elections.

[Recchia]

I can't take anymore political commercials.  I watched tv for barely 20 minutes last night and must have seen Lincoln Chafee or Steve Laffey 5 times each.  Does anyone ever get swayed by these things anyway?  

[runawayjim]

Recchia, on Sep 7 2006, 07:06 AM, said:

I can't take anymore political commercials.  I watched tv for barely 20 minutes last night and must have seen Lincoln Chafee or Steve Laffey 5 times each.  Does anyone ever get swayed by these things anyway?  

i don't think they'd waste their money on them if they didn't... and it's shown me some candidates i'ev never heard of, which is good since i haven't lived here all that long.

[Recchia]

runawayjim, on Sep 7 2006, 07:17 AM, said:

i don't think they'd waste their money on them if they didn't... and it's shown me some candidates i'ev never heard of, which is good since i haven't lived here all that long.

I guess so.  I'll be so sick of all this in your face politicking by November that I won't even wanna vote!

Mayor Doyle, Much Accomplished, More to Do!  God, if I see one more of those signs....

[runawayjim]

Recchia, on Sep 7 2006, 08:56 AM, said:

I guess so.  I'll be so sick of all this in your face politicking by November that I won't even wanna vote!

Mayor Doyle, Much Accomplished, More to Do!  God, if I see one more of those signs....

there's some guy running for city council in providence (i think for the mount pleasant area) that has his face on the signs... i saw him putting them up.  i don't wnat to see his face ever again.

[Recchia]

Atleast we don't have to listen to Patrick Kennedy's voice doing political adds.  He sounds like an odd mix of Bill Clinton and someone who's stoned out of their mind...

[MikeR]

I used to know this guy who used to be an investigator for the Board of Elections - investigating potential election fraud, etc.  Gawd, the stories he told me.  I can't repeat them here!