why does my state pay for the party primariy elections on either side?

[SwampG8r]

are they not private members only elections?
real question here
i am curious as to why my state foots the bill for what is a private function
i understand in the general as each party has a nominee
my taxes underwrite the Dem and the GOP primaries yet i can vote in only one
shouldnt it be the responsibility of each party to have a nominee in the general and foot their own bill until a name is decided?

[TheWraith]

1. Perhaps because they are, indeed, elections...

...and because no person is required to pay money to the political party they belong to. I can say for certainty, as a member of a Democratic committee for a very red county, we could not POSSIBLY have paid for a primary out of pocket. Period.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. And...

the state is (often laughingly) presumed to be an uninterested party-- who else would you want running the elections?

Since voting is a basic right of all citizens, it's proper for the state to pay.

(Some states also have open primaries where you can vote for any party.)

[provis99]

3. so you're opposed to publicly funded elections?

well, we can always maintain the current corporate funded elections, then.

[PoliticAverse]

4. Generally such rules came about as part of 'progressive election reform'. n/t

[customerserviceguy]

5. Because those two sides almost always win elections

The D's and the R's both like it that way. They figure they can deal with each other better without those messy third parties being involved. And they're right.

[Motown_Johnny]

6. any voter can register to vote in a primary election

this hardly qualifies as "private members only"