Is Mich. a closed primary or can independents vote as well as Dems. .?

[awake]

[november3rd]

1. Google it

The great oz.

[still_one]

2. It is a closed primary state, they have to declare their party, and vote accordingly

[Cal Carpenter]

11. One doesn't need to declare a party

Independents/others can vote in the primary. They only have to choose which party's primary they want to participate in and vote on that ballot.

[still_one]

12. It used to be a closed primary.

[Motown_Johnny]

21. Wrong. An open primary. Anyone can vote in either one.

To my knowledge it has never been a closed primary state and I was born here.

[still_one]

26. When I googled it, I just selected the first link found

http://www.fox2detroit.com/michigan-elections-2016/you-decide-2016-michigan-primary-election-central

I should have looked more carefully to see where it came from

[Motown_Johnny]

27. Yes, you Clinton supporter you. Look more carefully at things.

Thanks.

[still_one]

28. ok Sanders supporter

[John Poet]

30. The Michigan presidential primary has almost always been "open",

but the Democratic party has often used caucuses instead to choose their delegates, because of issues which the national party had with the "open" rules here. These issues became contentious after George Wallace won the 1972 Democratic primary on the strength of Republican crossover voters.

Democrats held party caucuses in
1980
1984
1988
2004

For 1992, the legislature changed the (presidential) primary so that voters had to declare a party preference in advance of the primary to participate in that party's voting, but it seems that was a rule that held only for that year and was not renewed.

In 2000, there were open primaries.

I can't recall for sure how the delegates were selected in 1996 or 2012 for sure, but those were uncontested incumbents.

In 2008, Michigan along with Florida tried to leapfrog part of the early 4 states with their primary, leading to a big mess. The DNC requested that all candidates get their names taken off the ballot, and declared that Michigan would lose all delegates to the convention. Everyone had their name removed from the ballot at the DNC's request, EXCEPT for Hillary Clinton. When the DNC was in the process of relenting about "no delegates", Hillary tried to hog all the delegates as hers was the only name on the ballot, but a large number of Obama supporters had voted 'uncommitted'. Later this was settled with a near-split of the delegates between Clinton and Obama. In the meantime. believing the DNC's official position and having no candidate I wanted to support on the Democratic primary ballot, I voted for Romney in the Republican primary in order to screw with McCain. Romney won.

There is currently no registration by party in Michigan. The only time there seems to have been any was the lead-up to the 1992 closed primary. Whoever shows up to vote just has to select which party's presidential primary in which they wish to vote.

Michigan's regular August primary for congressional, state and local offices has always been open in my lifetime.

[noamnety]

3. It's open to anyone.

I unregistered with the democratic party after the Iraq war but still vote in the primaries.


[quote]
Do I have to be a registered Republican or Democrat to participate in Michigan’s Presidential
Primary?

No. Michigan’s Presidential Primary has been designated a closed primary. There is no political
party registration requirement in Michigan Election Law. Any Michigan registered voter can participate in the primary. [/quote]

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/Voters_QA_MIPresPrim_516112_7.pdf

[notadmblnd]

9. This year for the very first time- we have to ask for either a Dem or Rep ballot

if you look at the sample ballot at the Sec of State website. Bernie Sanders is at the very bottom of the ballot. HRC is at the very top

[1939]

13. Been a number of years since I voted in Michigan

Used to be the primary ballots were printed on both sides. One side was D and the other side was R. You could only vote on one side or the other, but it was your choice when you went into the booth..

[bettyellen]

14. He filed last many places, and that is how the order is chosen. No conspiracy there.

[notadmblnd]

15. I imagine it had more to do with the alphabet then who filed when

[bettyellen]

16. In most places, it is in order of filing. And some who dropped are still in, and that is typical.

[John Poet]

31. I don't think that's the first time, for the presidential primaries.

I vaguely remember having to request which ballot I wanted for that, on the last couple votes.
Think maybe there was a form for that...

[SMC22307]

4. LOL, well you get conflicting information within the first 3 replies.

And the first reply was ever-so-helpful.

Here, from the SOS:

http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1633---,00.html

I haven't had a chance to read through it yet.

[noamnety]

7. Anyone can vote in it.

I edited in the quote from the .gov site.

I think the confusion might be accidental - not the fault of posters here. If you look at the part I quoted and the link I gave, the state's info says it's closed - anyone can vote in it. Bizarre.

[notadmblnd]

10. Thats because t changed for the first time this year

we do not have to declare party affiliation, but for the very first time ever, we will have to ask for either a D or R ballot.

[Orangepeel]

5. Open, but one has to choose which party's primary to vote in

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/03/26/democrats-will-use-statewide-primary-choose-presidential-nominee/70498394/


While Michiganders don’t have to declare a party preference when they register to vote, they will have to ask for a Democratic or Republican ballot for the presidential primary. Those selections are a matter of public record.

[Casandia]

8. And there's this link:

[link:http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/ED-125_Instrc_for_Voting_444406_7.pdf|

[noretreatnosurrender]

6. Independents

can vote in the primary.

[cs1058]

17. Independents can vote in the Michigan Democratic primary-see link

www.democraticunderground.com/125114253

[cs1058]

19. oops wrong link-here's the correct one for answering questions on independents voting in MI Primary

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/special-news-reports/20160226/frequent-questions-about-the-march-8-michigan-presidential-primary

[gollygee]

18. The Republcian one is open, the Democratic one is closed, you can only vote in one. N/t

[cs1058]

20. Not true Independents can vote in the DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY-SEE LINK

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/special-news-reports/20160226/frequent-questions-about-the-march-8-michigan-presidential-primary

[Motown_Johnny]

22. Wrong. Anyone can vote in either one.

Yes you can only vote it one, but everyone has their choice of which one they want to vote in.

For all intents and purposes, being registered with a party means nothing here.

[gollygee]

23. Hmm this must be a change

Though I admit it's been many years since I looked into it.

[Motown_Johnny]

24. I was born here and don't remember it ever being any other way.

I did spend about 12 years out of state but still....

To my knowledge it has been this way for a very long time.

[gollygee]

25. I was born here too

And once upon a time I'm sure you had to be registered as a Democrat to vote in that primary but anyone could vote in the Republican one. Though maybe it's different for the Presidential primary? Hmm not sure but that could be the case. When it came up in my case, there was no challenger in a Democratic congressional candidate primary, but the Republican primary had a moderate Republican vs. a psycho right-wing Republican, and the Democratic candidate had no chance of winning. I voted in the Republican primary that year, but it might have been a midterm election.

[xloadiex]

29. Here is a pretty good site I found

http://voteforbernie.org