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

[skill-grl.livejournal.com]

Well, even though I'm a MD voter, I'm not affiliated w/ a party. So, it was my understanding that I'd wouldn't be able to vote. So, where does the responsibility fit for me?

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Neither am I, but I thought anyone could vote in a primary in MD.

See, now I'm feeling stupid, if I've done this fretting for nothing. Lemme do a bit of the homework I should have done to see if I was even eligible for this electoral shindig...

[skill-grl.livejournal.com]

I might be wrong. It was my first time even elligible, and I don't have a clue. I'll get a clue before the final election.

[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. =/

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

We all have one slip by us; I know I have, so, in the interests of avoiding that whole glass houses/stone-throwing thing, I offer you my forgiveness.

For a second offense, however ...

If you do figure out this primaries thing, I'll be interested to hear about it as it's not something we have up here. And I know your explanation will be concise, clear, and unlikely to put me to sleep before I grasp the principle of the thing. ;-)

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

If I find out more, I'll send it on; meanwhile, rivka has a short explanation of primaries at the end of this post (http://rivka.livejournal.com/319051.html)

[jlsjlsjls.livejournal.com]

Ah ... THAT's what it is. Mention of "primaries" occasionally appears in our newspapers, but there's never enough depth to figure out what they are, other than first somethings (of course I've never been overly motivated to dig for meaning either ***grin***). Up here political affiliation and voter registration are as rigorously separated as church and state are supposed to be ... set-up of elections and voting is the domain of Elections Canada, which also polices the laws surrounding campaigning, etc. To join a particular party, you pay a membership fee ... then, as a club member, you have the right to participate in internal votes for leadership and other such stuff. Same rules/laws in every province, at both provincial and federal levels.