Virginia GOP Gets Strict on Voting: Demand for Loyalty Pledge at Primary Targets Crossovers, Indepen

Source: Washington Post


By Tim Craig and Anita Kumar
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, November 29, 2007; Page B01

RICHMOND, Nov. 28 -- The loyalty pledge to the Republican Party that Virginia voters will be required to sign if they vote in the state's GOP presidential primary on Feb. 12 is another attempt by the party to police the open primary system... a GOP primary voter will have to sign a piece of paper that says, "I, the undersigned, pledge that I intend to support the nominee of the Republican Party for President." ...The pledge, which the state Board of Elections approved Monday, includes instructions that say someone who refuses to sign it "will not be permitted to vote."

Political analysts say it is rare for a partisan voter aligned with one party to vote in the other party's nominating contest. But some conservatives say Democrats and independents helped Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.) win his 1996 primary against James C. Miller III. In 2000, Arizona Sen. John McCain (R) urged Democrats and independents to vote for him in Virginia's GOP presidential primary. But McCain lost to George W. Bush by 59,000 votes.


"There is no way to police this. It's a piece of paper," said Olga Hernandez, president of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters in Virginia.

"It's a slap in the face to voters, saying, 'We don't trust you,' " said C. Richard Cranwell, chairman of the Virginia Democratic Party. "It's not surprising the Republican Party doesn't trust the voters."


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/28/AR2007112802448.html

Not that any part of me favors open primaries, because I do not. But if they don't like the law, change it. Democratically. They liked it enough when it helped them to mess with us.

We can't have the law apply equally to the Saved and the Heathens!:sarcasm:

...now they're gonna try to stop people from voting for Republicans?

The GOP is overly concerned with sexual, racial and religious purity.

You can bet there's a lot John Q don't know yet what he ain't gonna be real happy of when it all comes out

I'd bet the R's are worried about somethin causin massive hemorrhagin -- and once they get unpopular enough, they'll start gettin paranoid visions of R's hangin from the cherry trees in the capital

You belong to a party for a reason. It's like being a member of a team. I don't want team members participating in our team activities (the primary) of they don't plan on helping us win the big game (the November election).

And the loyalty oath stinks. What if the voter likes one GOPer but hates another. If the hated GOPer wins the primary, the loyalty oath signed by the voter says the voter agrees he will support the GOPer he hates.

to an organization that does things like that?

we already knew that Republicans are people who need structures and a heavy hand letting them know how they're supposed to do it. I'm not surprised...everything else in their lives has to be rigidly controlled. Heck, if you asked me, Republicans seem very Dominatrix-prone...they just love a tough authority figure telling them what to do.

My advice for independents or Democrats who want to vote in Republican primaries: pledge the stupid thing, cross your fingers while doing it, and then flip them the middle finger by voting for whoever you want in the real election. They can't compel you, so SCREW THEM.

And in case you're wondering if this is not ethical, so wasn't stealing 2000 and 2004's elections.

If they don't sign the pledge, they won't be permitted to vote?

My understanding of the law may be flimsy in this area, but I was under the impression that American citizens had the right to vote for their choice, pledge or no. How can they legally claim that those who refuse will not be permitted to involve themselves in the election?

We fell through the looking glass in 2000, and it's been incomprehensible ever since.

The Court has consistently ruled that political parties have the First Amendment right to associate with whomever they want to associate. There is no right to vote in a party's primary by a non-member.

that doesn't necessarily make them a member of that party

you have people who have registered and re-registered etc

you certainly had Democrats who voted for Reagan and you had Repugs who voted for Bill Clinton

Heck, I intend to fly to Mars, find a Martian Elephant and give rides to all the Martian kids. Doesn't mean I'm going to start building a rocket. Tomorrow, I intend to cause peace and love to flow over the Earth in waves. I also intend to get out of bed. None of which may happen. So sign the stupid thing and vote how you want. In November, maybe your intentions will have changed.

is swear an oath of loyalty to the Constitution.
An oath of loyalty to a political party. Think about that. I take an oath to be loyal to a political party and then I don't like the candidate in the general election so I vote for an independant or the opposition party. The next step is to look up my party affiliation and arrest me for not voting for the bolshiviks.
We have to orally declare party affiliation at the primary voting center. For what good reason would you want me to sign an oath to that party?

Stinks of fascism

It's just another typical dumb unenforceable, unconstitutional GOP Big Brother effort.

of theior favorite, electronic voting machines.

Next they will be wanting you to take the oath of allegiance to their party(Naziism) and then they will want to certify that you voted the "correct" way. Through tampering and intimidation. Remember last election when trouble was had at polling places with all the people who dressed alike?

Fascism. Hate it or be apathetic and let it consume you.

I guess they'd rather be ideologically pure than still be in existence 20 years from now. That's OK by me.

Gov. Gilmore was just furious that she dared not vote as he told her so they put up a friend of his named Ruble Hord (very successful insurance salesman)to take her out. I went to the local voting place specifically to throw it back in Gilmores face and so did everyone else, she stayed in office.

and the game is rigged to a fare-thee-well, then we are under no obligation to follow their lead, however worded. In other words, sauce for the goose!