Quote:
Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I think parties can opt to pick their candidate at a convention instead of through a primary, which would satisfy the associational concern you are raising. If they're going to use the governmental electoral apparatus, why can't the government establish laws about who gets to participate?
I'm sure there is caselaw on this, since neither party likes open primaries.
We'll file this under Paranoid Republican Electoral Fraud Myths, but the folder is getting overstuffed.
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Some state's opt for primaries open to all, some opt for primaries open to all voters registered in a party and all unenrolled voters, some opt for closed primaries. The closed primary states often let you register for a party at the polls. Generally, each state party can decide whether to participate in the primaries established by the legislature or can opt out and select their nominees and their delegates other ways.
Most state parties allocate their Presidential delegates a number of ways; they can use both a primary and a caucus if they choose - the rules are very flexible. And most parties seem to want the insiders picking some delegates.
