Open State Primaries Affect General Elections
Local Policy Rules Influence Political Parties' Selection Process
Aug 14, 2008
This voting style, in an open primary, is one of the most influential apparatuses state governments use to allow political parties to select a candidate for national office. Recently in primary elections, the full power of this voting technique has been utilized by adversaries of individuals and opposition groups. Financing, endorsing and campaigning for rival candidates, in the same party, is a powerful tool used by those manipulating the intent of states' rules. Hidden among the campaign rhetoric these techniques are honed until powerful results are attained and the party faithful’s desires are altered.
What is Crossover Voting?
It is simply the act of voting for an opposing party candidate in either a primary or general election. Only open primary states allow voters to crossover in primary elections.
The Purpose of Open Primary Voting
...is to allow greater flexibility to the voter in choosing a candidate, more in tune with a particular view; regardless of the party of either the voter or nominee. In recent elections it has been used to influence the results of opposing political parties.
Types of Crossover Voting
- General Election crossover voting, allowed in all 50 states, is the most common. When political parties have chosen their candidate to represent their party in a general election, the voters decide which nominee is elected. This usually occurs when the candidate (a voter desired) lost in a primary election for that party. The voter will crossover and vote for the other party’s nominee due to similar political ideology.
- Primary Election crossover voting is similar to general election crossover voting except it occurs during the primary elections. The voter dislikes all the available candidates in their party and crosses over to vote for one of the other party’s candidate for compatibility reasons.
- Minority Election crossover voting is usually a result of congressional redistricting or gerrymandering. By this method voters of a particular party are heavily outnumbered by voters of another group. Understanding the limitations of the minority party the voter crosses over and votes for the least objectionable member of the majority - thus influencing representative government in a district or state.
- Disruptive Election crossover voting has become a sinister voting technique. This form usually involves two or more powerful candidates from the opposing party. By voting for the weaker of the two, the crossover voters can influence and extend the results of that group's nomination process. Lengthening the primary may expose failings of the media’s frontrunner or disenfranchise voters for the weaker candidate. This could increase the chances of a national election win by the vulnerable party’s candidate.
The Problem
Views on open primaries vary by individuals, candidates, political parties and states; however, the results attained grow with each election.
Former congresswoman and 2008 Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney, was the target and victim of crossover voting. In the documentary film American Blackout directed by Ian Inaba, McKinney supporters contended, “…Republicans mounted a campaign to vote her out of office…when crossover voting helped elect her Democratic challenger.”
In the 2008 Democratic primaries, Republican radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh told The O’Reilly Factor’s TV guest hostess Laura Ingraham on March 9th, that he directed Republican voters to “…vote for Hillary Clinton and keep the Democratic primary going.” He said he wanted to “…help her destroy the Democratic Party this year….[and hopes] their primary will continue to the convention [and have] Obama and Clinton…rough each other up.”
Larry Rohter, of the New York Times, summed it best with his questions on 5/3/08, “Are [crossover voters] genuinely attracted by…[different] candidates? Or are they mischief-making spoilers, looking to prolong a divisive...fight?”
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