# Did you vote in your state's 2014 primary election? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 10, 2014, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119 "2014-09-10T22:11:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/21 "2014-09-12T15:48:11Z")
There were no races I was interested in, so I didn’t. I certainly will vote in the general, though. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/22 "2014-09-12T16:08:30Z")
I almost always vote. There was a ballot that only included measures that I didn’t care about. I read it, and didn’t vote on that one. If I don’t know enough about an issue, or if it makes no difference to me whether a measure passes, or if there is only one candidate for a position, I don’t vote on those. I do vote for candidates where there is more than one standing for election and where there is a party preference indicated. (Here, the ballot says ‘Prefers [Democratic/Republican] party.’) Since we vote by mail in Washington, there’s no reason not to vote other than the ones I’ve given. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/23 "2014-09-12T16:13:36Z")
Yes, I did. So far I have never lived more than 3 blocks from my polling place so I really have no excuse not to nip over before work and check the boxes. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2014, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/24 "2014-09-13T12:08:49Z")
I voted in the primary of the opposite party. A local hate-monger was running in the primary for state rep, and I wanted him to lose more than I had a preference for any nominee for governor, attorney general. Our congressperson was unopposed. The guy I went to vote against lost 1022-996. 6% turnout in his stronghold. 20% turnout in the more liberal part if the district, where his opponent hailed from. I was at a meeting that same evening and three people had done exactly what I did. Lifelong democrats voted in the republican primary to screw the candidate we regarded as poisonous. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/25 "2014-09-13T13:59:11Z")
I was going to, but I needed an absentee ballot. Due to legal challenges to items on the ballot, the ballot came in so late that I received it after I had already left and didn’t get it until after the election when my held mail was delivered. I’m really rather annoyed by that. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/26 "2014-09-13T18:32:29Z")
No, first election of any kind I’ve missed since the '08 cycle, though I followed the primary season. I watched some of a gubernatorial debate this year. (My preference won the nomination) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/27 "2014-09-14T09:25:36Z")
Nope. There were no races in the Illinois Democratic primary that were competitive. ---
**Author:** ![buddy431](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy431](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy431)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/28 "2014-09-15T05:12:13Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Nope. There were no races in the Illinois Democratic primary that were competitive. In [my district](http://hpherald.com/2014/03/18/breaking-christian-mitchell-ekes-out-win-against-jay-travis-2/) it was. And this was the real election anyways: if Jesus returned and ran on the Republican ticket and the Democrats would still win the seat. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/29 "2014-09-15T05:36:47Z")
Democrat here but I took a Republican primary ballot in Illinois to vote against Rauner. There weren’t any competitive Democratic races in my district anyway. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/30 "2014-09-16T19:56:52Z")
Not a state, but I voted in Washington, DC’s primary. Since DC is so heavily dominated by the Democratic Party, voting in its primary is really the only chance you get to have a say in candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/31 "2014-09-16T23:44:36Z")
My Democratic congressman and senator here in Virginia ran unopposed for the nomination for re-election. So there was no Democratic primary in my district this year, and I didn’t get a chance. But otherwise I vote in every single Democratic primary that comes along, not to speak of the general elections. This contingency was not covered by the poll choices, though. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/32 "2014-09-17T02:30:33Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > I didn’t. Never got my ballot, though I requested one. > > Unfortunately some [political party](http://www.democrats.org/) pushed through [a change in the law](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_and_Overseas_Voter_Empowerment_Act) so that my prior request for a ballot was no longer honored. As I read your link, many states have failed to comply with the federal law which requires facilitation of voting by military personnel stationed overseas. Is that correct? If so, you need to complain to your state board of elections. (or equivalent) Or, was there a problem with the law? ---
**Author:** ![Sterling\_Archer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Sterling\_Archer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterling_Archer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/33 "2014-10-07T18:47:22Z")
I didn’t, but only because the candidate I favored had no real opposition. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/34 "2014-10-07T19:56:04Z")
California has a ridiculous open primary system that I am sincerely hoping gets repealed, because it gives us stupid situations where there are certain seats where only two candidates from the same party are running in the fall. It basically shuts minority parties out of the general election, which is probably what they intended. I did, however, vote in the primary. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/35 "2014-10-07T23:01:39Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > As I read your link, many states have failed to comply with the federal law which requires facilitation of voting by military personnel stationed overseas. Is that correct? > > If so, you need to complain to your state board of elections. (or equivalent) > > Or, was there a problem with the law? I am a US citizen residing abroad and as such I vote via absentee ballot. Under prior law such Americans residing abroad could make a single request to receive absentee ballots over the next two federal election cycles (ie, four years). The voter would have to renew that request every four years. State elections officials could allow the voter to specify which type of election(s) (Only general election and/or primaries and/or local and/or special) he wished to receive ballots for. In 2010 the Democrats pushed through a revision of the law governing overseas voters. Included in that revision was a change so that an overseas voter would need to renew his/her ballot request every year. The net effect is that some overseas voters did not receive ballots as expected as their prior request more than one year old were disregarded. No advanced notice. IMHO, the law should have made that change effective only for ballot requests made from that point forward, effectively grandfathering the old requests. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/36 "2014-10-08T01:18:23Z")
I thought about it, but the only really contested primary that I knew anything about was the Governor’s race, and I don’t like Cuomo and think that Teachout is crazily left wing, so I decided not yo. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/37 "2014-10-21T14:05:48Z")
Yes, I voted. I haven’t missed an election in many years. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/38 "2014-10-21T15:11:32Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Democrat here but I took a Republican primary ballot in Illinois to vote against Rauner. There weren’t any competitive Democratic races in my district anyway. This is why primary elections should be closed. Primaries are held to determine which candidates the individual political parties have chosen to represent their individual parties. They should not be used to deliberately undermine the choices of opposition parties in order to enhance your parties candidate. To answer the OP’s question - I always vote. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/39 "2014-10-21T15:41:52Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > This is why primary elections should be closed. Primaries are held to determine which candidates the individual political parties have chosen to represent their individual parties. They should not be used to deliberately undermine the choices of opposition parties in order to enhance your parties candidate. Yep. But it’s state law; what are you gonna do? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119/40 "2014-10-21T16:46:04Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Yep. But it’s state law; what are you gonna do? Each state makes it’s own election rules and they each view primaries differently. Maybe people need to be reminded (over and over and over) exactly what a primary election was created to decide? But it’s a low priority issue. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-your-states-2014-primary-election/698119.md?page=1)