Fresh Tracks Weekly - Vote In Your Primary Election

[quarterhorse]

Can you vote in a primary if you aren't registered to a particular party?

In Idaho you can choose unaffiliated. I'm not sure if many names show up on your ballot if you do that.

 

[Robg2]

It was a tongue-in-cheek post pointing out that it is the voters who put the crazies on the ballot. Just look at Congress. I don’t think people switch that much but the conspiracy always comes up. See post 17 question. There are a lot of different systems out there and people should know what they are for their state. The reality is not many people vote in primaries. I’m not sure ranked choice would solve the problem of the crazies because I think a large percentage of voters are equally crazy and not interested in hearing about problems or solutions.

It makes a difference, just look at Murkowski’s win. In practice ranked choice is the same as a runoff election, which is easier to show how the crazies are eliminated.

Say there are three people running in the main election, a crazy left, a crazy right, and a moderate. Furthermore, say the crazy right wins, but she/he has less than 50% of the vote so there is a runoff between the crazy right and the moderate.

The crazy left still gets to vote, but they will generally vote for the moderate more than the crazy right. Thus, a runoff tends to shift the winner towards the center. Same with ranked choice, which an instant runoff.

 

[SAJ-99]

It makes a difference, just look at Murkowski’s win. In practice ranked choice is the same as a runoff election, which is easier to show how the crazies are eliminated.

Say there are three people running in the main election, a crazy left, a crazy right, and a moderate. Furthermore, say the crazy right wins, but she/he has less than 50% of the vote so there is a runoff between the crazy right and the moderate.

The crazy left still gets to vote, but they will generally vote for the moderate more than the crazy left. Thus, a runoff tends to shift the winner towards the center. Same with ranked choice, which an instant runoff.

I'm for it, but you can see why others are not. The crazies are in control. I'm not sure any change in the voting system can fix that.

 

[Robg2]

I'm for it, but you can see why others are not. The crazies are in control. I'm not sure any change in the voting system can fix that.

I agree with you on that. The crazies have enough control that our attempt to create one in Montana failed. People were also confused on how/why it worked. Hopefully the moderates will win their primaries anyway.

 

[hank4elk]

Never been a party member. Always decline to state.
This year I got to vote in the new"Open" primary in NM.
Got a choice of R or D ballot....LOL.

1963 I pulled the wagon with Kennedy info for my mom & aunt. I had Dash on the leash too, our dobie/dalmation cross. Protection.

This year I stuck my finger in the establishment eye in my county.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Happy to be voting today.

 

[HappyCamper]

Happy to see some of the preliminary outcomes showing this big money effort failing with Albus and mentioned in the video. Unfortunately looks like Flint will walk into office…

 

[Forkyfinder]

Happy to see some of the preliminary outcomes showing this big money effort failing with Albus and mentioned in the video. Unfortunately looks like Flint will walk into office…

Personally - im more offended by Kurt Alme than Flint. The ol switcharoo by daines to get him in was gross.

 

[Nameless Range]

Flint absolutely dominated his primary. Not my congressional district, but at this point it does look like Forstag won it against Busse. Once again the general election, the Democrats in Western MT will learn good and hard that someone like AOC coming to the state and endorsing your candidate is a liability, not an asset.

The AFP money did take out a few longtime Montana politicians. Happy to see @Eric Albus prevail. Congratulations.

In the last two months I received 15 text messages, 12 phone calls, and 7 redwood's worth of mailers (this is the only fake stat) shilling for politicians. I shudder to think about what summer/early fall will bring.

 

[jimh406]

The crazies have enough control that our attempt to create one in Montana failed.

I'm not sure why you call people who don't want your way of doing things crazy.

As far as Murkowski goes, she's a career politician who was originally appointed to her position by her father. Ranked choice has helped that career politician hold onto her position. My guess is that's not what you want to happen in MT unless the one you want is already in office.

 

[SAJ-99]

Democrats in Western MT will learn good and hard that someone like AOC coming to the state and endorsing your candidate is a liability, not an asset.

It doesn’t matter. Jesus himself could have endorse Busse, or any other Democrat, and it wouldn’t matter. I am afraid that whatever was left of Montana’s “independent” streak is gone.

 

[Southern Elk]

Flint absolutely dominated his primary. Not my congressional district, but at this point it does look like Forstag won it against Busse. Once again the general election, the Democrats in Western MT will learn good and hard that someone like AOC coming to the state and endorsing your candidate is a liability, not an asset.

The AFP money did take out a few longtime Montana politicians. Happy to see @Eric Albus prevail. Congratulations.

In the last two months I received 15 text messages, 12 phone calls, and 7 redwood's worth of mailers (this is the only fake stat) shilling for politicians. I shudder to think about what summer/early fall will bring.

Busse has been unelectable in a statewide election ever since he decided it was a good idea to talk gun control. Doesn’t matter if he lost now or in November, it was inevitable.

 

[Nameless Range]

It doesn’t matter. Jesus himself could have endorse Busse, or any other Democrat, and it wouldn’t matter. I am afraid that whatever was left of Montana’s “independent” streak is gone.

A lot of places that were hopeless for Republicans when I was a kid are now hopeless for Democrats, and I'm not that old! Certainly takes time.

I like to think I am an independent voter, but for the last decade mostly vote on the R ballot in the primary because that's the crazy with the most likely chance of f'n up the things I care about, and I wanna influence it. I think a lot of folks like me doing that though, increases the signal/noise ratio with the more "radical" candidates on the D side of things. Though I agree that in this race any D would've got thumped.


Though it was a no-stakes race at this point, Amy Eddy being ahead of Dan Wilson is a good sign for certain Supreme Court decisions that might affect hunting and fishing in Montana, and I'd wager this will be the last non-partisan Supreme Court race Montana ever has.

 

[MTGomer]

The Aaron Flint campaign would like to announce that it has won the November 2026 general election and thanks Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for helping him get there.

 

[Drake4]

Busse has been unelectable in a statewide election ever since he decided it was a good idea to talk gun control. Doesn’t matter if he lost now or in November, it was inevitable.

And probably the most unlikeable person I've ever seen. Just a pompous ass.

 

[MTGomer]

Personally - im more offended by Kurt Alme than Flint. The ol switcharoo by daines to get him in was gross.

yep. I voted on the Democrat ticket in the primary because of it and will be voting for Seth Bodnar in the general because of it.

 

[Forkyfinder]

yep. I voted on the Democrat ticket in the primary because of it and will be voting for Seth Bodnar in the general because of it.

I voted in the R and voted against Kurt Alme - looks like not nearly enough people took offense to that game.

 

[sclancy27]

And probably the most unlikeable person I've ever seen. Just a pompous ass.

I was gonna say, Busse's problems went well beyond his gun control stuff. Dude comes off as one of the most unlikeable humans imaginable.

 

[jimh406]

I voted in the R and voted against Kurt Alme - looks like not nearly enough people took offense to that game.

I agree it looked bad. Alme had the Trump endorsement, so I don't think it mattered how it came about.

 

[SAJ-99]

And probably the most unlikeable person I've ever seen. Just a pompous ass.

Seems to work for the guy in the Oval Office.