I dropped the ball...

[anotheranon]

I didn't vote in the state primaries today.

I take voting seriously. Enough so that I even research the candidates instead of automatically assuming that party affiliation is a good indicator of a candidate's stand on the actual issues.

But I totally lost track this time. And I've got no excuse - it's not like school has been eating my time.

Gonna put my head on the chopping block here so y'all can kick it around: should I have gone out and voted anyway, just to do my civic duty, even though I know nothing about the candidates?

Update 10:30 pm: Re: skill_grl's comment about eligibility of unaffiliated voters to vote in local primaries: here's the scoop, though I'm still fuzzy about this particular election - it wasn't a party primary, it was gubernatorial and various positions had candidates from both of the major parties. Yet, it was still a primary, so I'm still not sure if independents were even eligible to vote.

If someone can answer this for me I'll take my wrist-rapping with grace, either because I coulda voted but didn't, or because I didn't keep up well enough with my civic duty to know whether I even could vote today or not :/

Comments

[geekchick]

Given all the problems they were having this morning, it sounds like the local election board forgot there was an election today too. ;)

[geekchick]

Gonna put my head on the chopping block here so y'all can kick it around: should I have gone out and voted anyway, just to do my civic duty, even though I know nothing about the candidates?

I wouldn't feel guilty about not voting today; I think especially in the primaries it makes sense to vote for someone only if you like their positions.

Does MD require you to register with a party affiliation? We don't in VA.

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

See above - party affiliation isn't required to register, but it does mean that I'm not eligible to vote in party primaries.

And yes, I read about the ongoing technical problems at Slashdot, of all places. Finger firmly on the pulse, and all that...:P

[geekchick]

I think in VA anyone can vote in a primary if they want, but we also don't register a party affiliation at all.

I heard about the problems on NPR this morning and again on the way home. "D'oh!" They were saying this evening that even though the polls were staying open until 9:30, after 8 everyone would have to use a provisional ballot that wouldn't be counted for days. Sounds like a real cf. =/