# You need to register as a Republican or Democrat in Order to Vote in the U.S.A? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113 "2009-08-29T02:05:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/1 "2009-08-29T02:05:37Z")
According to [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=529657) thread. That would appear to be the case. Is this really true? If so, I’m flabbergasted. Perhaps even gob smacked! Say it ain’t so! ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/2 "2009-08-29T02:10:56Z")
I am neither registered as a Rep. or Dem. and I vote in the U.S.A. (I can’t vote in the Dem/Rep. primaries in my state.) ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/3 "2009-08-29T02:15:24Z")
It varies from state to state. In Pennsylvania for example you can register as a Democrat, Republican, independent, or one of minor parties that don’t matter. All registering as a party member means is that you can vote in the primary election (where each party decides on a candidate for the general election). If you register as an independent you do not get to vote in the primary; you cannot vote in another parties primary (PA has a strict closed primary system). You can change your party registraton at will, but it won’t go into effect for 30 days. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/4 "2009-08-29T02:17:13Z")
It is impossible to register as either a Republican or Democrat in the state of Virginia. Party identification for the purposes of primaries is solely handled by the voter deciding on election day whether he wants to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary. Indeed, I had been a Republican county committee member in the past - this did not stop me from voting in the Democratic presidential primary in 2006, nor promptly voting for a Republican the following fall. Different states handle this differently, but in no state is someone disenfranchised by choosing to be a political independent. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2009, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/5 "2009-08-29T02:21:31Z")
In Ohio you can register as a Democrat, a Republican, a member of any of the minor parties or as an independent. You may thereafter show up on a primary election day and ask for the ballot of _any_ one of the parties, and will remain listed as a member of that party until you ask for another party’s ballot during another primary election. Most people, needless to say, remain listed as a member of a single party for many years, if not throughout their entire lives, due to both political loyalty and inertia. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/6 "2009-08-29T02:22:01Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > According to [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=529657) thread. > > That would appear to be the case. Is this really true? If so, I’m flabbergasted. Perhaps even gob smacked! Say it ain’t so! It ain’t so. It is possible that you cannot vote in the primary election of a party if you are not a registered voter as a member of that party, in some states. To vote in general elections at any level of goverment, from municipal dogcatcher on up to President, you merely need to be a registered voter - no affiliation required. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/7 "2009-08-29T02:57:07Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Most people, needless to say, remain listed as a member of a single party for many years, if not throughout their entire lives, due to both political loyalty and inertia. Which does not, of course, necessarily mean _voting_ for that party. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/8 "2009-08-29T02:57:49Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > **You need to register as a Republican or Democrat in Order to Vote in the U.S.A?** > Is this really true? If so, I’m flabbergasted. Perhaps even gob smacked! Say it ain’t so! First, about the “in the U.S.A.” part – there are 50 separate states in the USA, with 50 separate laws governing elections in each state. So there is no single answer to this question. But, basically, most states have _Primary_ elections, where the voters choose the candidates from each party who will be on the ballot in the _General_ election that fall. These are effectively separate elections for each major party, but held at the same time & place, so a voter can only vote in one of them. In a _Closed Primary_ state, a voter must be pre-registered as a member of a political party to vote in that party’s Primary. Independent voters can’t vote in any party’s Primary. (That’s probably what you heard about.) In some states, voters registered as independents can participate, they choose which Party Primary they want to vote in that year. That’s often called a _Semi-closed_ Primary. In an _Open Primary_ state, any voter can vote in the Primary, and decide that day which Party Primary they want to vote in (they can still only vote in one). Often the ballot has the Republican primary on one side, and the Democratic on the other, and the voter chooses which side to vote on, in the privacy of the voting booth. That can lead to cross-over voting, where for example, Republicans vote in the Democratic Primary, and try to vote for the weakest Democrat. In some states, a voter still has to ask for the ballot for whatever Party Primary he is voting in, and it is recorded which party primary you voted in. That’s often called a _Semi-open_ Primary. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/9 "2009-08-29T04:15:29Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > According to [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=529657) thread. > > That would appear to be the case. Is this really true? If so, I’m flabbergasted. Perhaps even gob smacked! Say it ain’t so! That’s kind of a long thread already. Skimming it isn’t a particularly effective way of determining what cause you to draw that inference. Please identify the posts that led you to it. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/10 "2009-08-29T04:41:02Z")
In case any non-Americans are confused by the terminology, a “promary” is short for “primary election.” The U.S. conducts a general election on the Tuesday that falls betweenn November 2-8 inclusive in even-numbered years; most states schedule elections for local offices either then or on the same date in odd numbered years. At some point in the six months or so previous to the general election, an election is held to determine who shall be the candidate for the major parties (and rarely minor parties as well) if more than one candidate is vying for the nomination. This is termed the primary election, and is the one subject to the rules outlined in previous posts. To vote in the general election, one need only be a registered voter resident in that election precinct (village, township, ward of a city, etc.) – and in some cases may register right at the polling place before voting. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/11 "2009-08-29T04:44:12Z")
I’m a registered Independent, and I can vote in the Dem primary but not the Rep primary. (California) ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2009, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/12 "2009-08-29T06:56:10Z")
In my state (Washington), there is no place on the voter registration form to identify a party - due to a belief that it’s none of the state’s business. We have a top-two primary system (neither open nor closed) because about one out of every three Washingtonians flat out refuses to identify with a party at all, under any circumstances, even on a secret ballot and a not-small percentage of the rest aren’t overly thrilled with the idea of being chained to the party they’re willing to identify with. The parties are about to challenge the system. Again. Because they really, really, really hate voters. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/13 "2009-08-30T02:10:53Z")
The (General) Question in the OP has been answered, but I am moving the thread to the proper forum in case there are follow-up questions. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/14 "2009-08-30T02:16:54Z")
NC has open primaries for independents with 1 exception - if you are independent and choose to vote in the Dem primary you can’t switch to vote in the Rep primary for a runoff primary - same is true is parties are reversed. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/15 "2009-08-30T02:45:55Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > In case any non-Americans are confused by the terminology, a “promary” is short for “primary election.”… No, a “promary” is someone who likes Mary. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/16 "2009-08-30T02:55:32Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > The (General) Question in the OP has been answered, but I am moving the thread to the proper forum in case there are follow-up questions. Are you sure that wasn’t just the primary question? I think the general question is next Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/17 "2009-08-30T03:11:47Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > Are you sure that wasn’t just the primary question? I think the general question is next Tuesday. The general election? Where? Again, there are 50 states and uncounted municipalities. All of which may have elections, either primary or general, at any time of the year. Only federal elections must be on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. I know that here a primary election is coming soon. But it is not next Tuesday, but on a Wednesday the week after next. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/18 "2009-08-30T03:17:57Z")
**Exapno** , it looks to me like **Alan** was making a joke, (or even a pun?) by comparing ‘the general question’ with ‘the general election’. Thus, he presumably wasn’t speaking about a real election next Tuesday. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/19 "2009-08-30T03:34:32Z")
Hee hee! Sorry, **Harpo**! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113/20 "2009-08-30T03:36:31Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > The general election? Where? Again, there are 50 states and uncounted municipalities. All of which may have elections, either primary or general, at any time of the year. Only federal elections must be on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. > > I know that here a primary election is coming soon. But it is not next Tuesday, but on a Wednesday the week after next. Did you know that the word “whoosh” is not in the SDMB [glossary](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320298)? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-need-to-register-as-a-republican-or-democrat-in-order-to-vote-in-the-u-s-a/508113.md?page=2)