It’s a common misconception, but if you registered “Independent Party” you aren’t “independent” you are a member of your state’s Independent party, who has a platform and agenda you may or may not agree with. What you actually want is called an “unaffiliated” voter status. The good news is, all you have to do is…nothing!

LA Times had a good summary a few years back: https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-american-independent-party-california-registration-card-20180405-story.html

You don’t need to register with any party to show you don’t like R or D, do nothing or choose "unaffiliated if you want to be “little i independent”.

Examples:

#USA #politics----

  • ramble81@lemm.ee
    291·
    6 months ago

    In Texas you must register with a party to vote in their primary. Now that doesn’t mean you have to vote for them in the general election. Quite often I’ve registered Republican to try and influence the primary since I’ll vote for whichever Democrat makes it past the primary.

    • Peppycito@sh.itjust.works
      4·
      6 months ago

      In Canada you have to buy a membership to the party. That let’s you vote in the leadership elections. Mosty it means you and your next 7 generations get spam soliciting donations.

    • jeffw@lemmy.world
      61·
      6 months ago

      That’s called a closed primary. Many states have open primaries but many are still closed

    • rjthyen@lemm.ee
      72·
      6 months ago

      I’ve been considering changing my registration to Republican specifically for primaries. I’m in SD, and the Republican almost always wins so I feel I’d have more impact trying to push the right left and can still vote however I want in the general.

        • rjthyen@lemm.ee
          1·
          6 months ago

          I would be voting for the better GOP candidate in the primary hoping they win, and likely the Dem come general election, but since I’m in a red area I’d expect the Dem to lose but maybe help pick the lesser of two evils for the GOP?

            • rjthyen@lemm.ee
              1·
              6 months ago

              If you lived somewhere where the GOP candidate is going to get 65 percent of the vote basically no matter what, and in the GOP primary you had an incumbent, somewhat average, right wing conservative that you’ve seen work across the aisle in the state legislator ruining against a hard core maga nut job, anti vaccine, anti public schools, openly racist etc. Do you think registering as a Republican to vote for the incumbent in that primary sounds like an okay idea? You can still vote for the Democrat and make your voice heard there at the general election even though it’s essentially guaranteed he loses.

              Or is the argument against this that if the crazy maga guy wins the primary there’s a slightly better chance the Democrat can win? I’d call it unlikely where I’m at, but could see tighter districts working that way.

              • PeggyLouBaldwin@lemmy.world
                2·
                6 months ago

                if i elect an average right wing conservative (which is redundant) and they go on to do bad things, which is practically guaranteed, I would not feel better.

      • ramble81@lemm.ee
        51·
        6 months ago

        Don’t suppose you read your own link….

        31. (§162.010). A voter who has affiliated themselves with a party is ineligible to participate in the party affairs of another party during the same calendar year. (§§162.012, 162.013)

        Yes you can flip every year but you have to chose a party to vote in their primary. That’s what I said.

        • fadedmaster@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          1·
          6 months ago

          Right after the section you quoted: "If a voter has not yet affiliated with a party, they are able to vote in either party’s primary election. "

          So to your original point. You do not need to be affiliated to vote in the primary, but if you are affiliated you must vote in your affiliated party’s primary.

          • ramble81@lemm.ee
            31·
            6 months ago

            And the only way you can vote in a primary is to register with them you can do it on the spot if you want, but once you do it, that’s it. You can’t immediately turn around and go vote in another primary. For that year you’re noted as being with that party (I’ve gotten more than enough magat spam to prove that). You realize everything you’ve posted and said supports what I’m saying.

            • fadedmaster@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              4·
              6 months ago

              Do I have to register or affiliate with a party before I vote in the primary?

              No. A registered voter is not required to pre-register or take any steps towards affiliating themselves with a party before voting in a party’s primary election. (§162.003)  Additionally, when a person registers to vote in Texas, they do not register with any kind of party affiliation.

              This is all on that same source that you accused the other user of not reading…

            • Baron Von J@lemmy.world
              2·
              6 months ago

              Here’s the whole section you’re selectively quoting

              How does party affiliation work in Texas? In Texas, there are several main ways for a voter to affiliate with a party: by being accepted to vote in a party’s primary election, by taking the required oath at a party precinct convention, or by taking a party oath of affiliation generally (§§162.003, 162.006, 162.007). A voter’s affiliation with a party automatically expires at the end of each calendar year, which is December 31. (§162.010). A voter who has affiliated themselves with a party is ineligible to participate in the party affairs of another party during the same calendar year. (§§162.012, 162.013)

              Emphasis added to show that there is no persistent, year-over-year affiliation (I emphasize this word because there is no party registration in Texas)

              And the only way you can vote in a primary is to register with them

              I have never registered with a party. There is no field for party affiliation in the online voter registration form

              https://vrapp.sos.state.tx.us/index.asp

              And the registration certificate doesn’t include a party affiliation

              https://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/voter-registration-certificate.html

              And a Non-potato quality picture

              https://disabilityrightstx.org/en/handout/understanding-your-texas-voter-registration-certificate/

              you can do it on the spot if you want, but once you do it, that’s it

              Every primary election I’ve participated in the official who checks you in just asked which primary you want to vote in. And since voter registration in Texas does not track party affiliation you’re going to have a rough time convincing me this counts as registering with the party.

              The spam you’re getting is simply because it’s public record whether you voted in any election, including which primary you voted in. But it’s not the same as other states recording your party affiliation as part of your voter registration, which Texas flat out does not do.

    • Reyali@lemm.ee
      2·
      6 months ago

      Similarly, North Carolina allows unaffiliated to choose their primary, but R and D must vote in their registered primaries. Definitely good to know your state’s laws before taking OP at face value!