Yes of course, voters register with the state, else they can't vote.

The state runs the election process.  

Else if it were "truly" a party internal thing, it would be entirely possible that different parties would have their elections at different locations than other parties, even on different days.  (Sounds like the Iowa Caucus.)  Since the state organizes elections, they are held at public places (like schools) so different party members vote on the same day, at the same places.  It probably also keeps voter fraud to a minimum.  Since it easier to verify that a person has only voted once, belongs to only one party (not two or more,) since the voting location is only at one place and one time.  (I'm thinking of some African countries where this could happen.)

Procedures vary from state to state.

a) Some states restrict voting to the member's party during primaries.  Apparently by the results forwarded here, New Hampshire is not one of those.  However, this would perform the function as you describe.

b) Some states permit voting in other parties during primaries.  New Hampshire is 'apparently' one of these.  If I recall correctly, this is a relatively recent phenomenon.  I think the idea was to allow dissatisfied voters to make a point about their party's candidates.  The potential for abuse is there, as a faction may encourage voters to vote for a candidate of the other party that they think is a loser, thus flooding the opposing party with garbage votes.  

Primary purpose:

Anyway, all the primary does is send "delegates" to the Party Convention during the summer months.  Delegates are normally "bound" to their candidate.  However, delegates can be fickle.  How tightly they are bound to their candidate may also vary, some stay bound or others vote their conscience.  (For example, a scandal may break-out concerning a candidate between the last primary and the convention.)  

A candidate at the low end of delegates (read: 3rd or 4th place "loser") during the convention may "release" his delegates to vote as they will, or to a specific candidate.  (Some do so in the hopes of getting nominated as the Vice-Presidential candidate.)  So even after primaries are over, what seemed to be a narrow winner could possibly be beat with "released" or "unbound" delegates to his opponent.  (At least this is the way I think it works, details, details.)

Such is the fun of U.S. Party Conventions, anyone ever notice what a good time they have?  All those party hats, balloons, and bright colors?  It makes one-party countries seem so boring.

BT


Tracy Johnson
MSI Schaevitz Sensors 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Pitman [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2004 9:42 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [HP3000-L] OT: Presidential Return
> 
> 
> Can you clear up something for me please - exactly who runs these
> 'primaries' ?? Since it is the party choosing its 
> presidential candidate,
> seems it should be a party internal thing. Also , what does 
> 'registered'
> mean, as in voters? Registered with whom? Down here, we only 
> register with
> the one Electoral office, as eligible to vote in a given
> district/ward/whatever geographic area, and it has nothing to do with
> parties.
> 
> jp??
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Arthur Frank" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 4:11 AM
> Subject: [HP3000-L] OT: Presidential Return
> 
> 
> > Interesting returns in the New Hampshire republican primary:
> >
> >    John Kerry(WI)      1,420      2.3%
> >    Howard Dean (WI)      974      1.5%
> >    Wesley Clark(WI)       851      1.4%
> >    John Edwards(WI)       808      1.3%
> >    Joe Lieberman(WI)       511      0.8%
> >    Dennis Kucinich(WI)       28      0.0%
> >    Carol Moseley Braun(WI)       15      0.0%
> >    Dick Gephardt(WI)       14      0.0%
> >    Al Sharpton(WI)       11      0.0%
> >
> > WI = Write-in Candidate
> >
> > From:
> >
> http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2004/primarie
s/by_state/NH_
Page.html?SITE=YAHOOELN&SECTION=POLITICS#TOP
>
> (watch the wrap)
>
> Art Frank
> Manager of Information Systems
> OHSU Foundation
> [log in to unmask]
> (503) 220-8320
>
> >>> joe andress <[log in to unmask]> 01/28/04 05:11AM >>>
>       Interesting returns in the New Hampshire democrat returns:
>
>       President George W Bush (WI) *                 112
>       Hillary Rodham Clinton (WI)                             54
>
> EDITOR'S NOTE: WI = Write-in Candidate
>
> Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/elections/2004/nh/
>
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