The closed primary election system places party politics above a citizenโs right to vote for the candidate of their choice. Under this system, your primary ballot is limited strictly to the party in which you are registered. If you are registered Republican, you may vote only for Republican candidates in the primaries. If you are a Democrat, you may vote only for Democratic candidates. And if you are registered as Independent or with any minor party, you cannot vote in either major party primary.
This restriction prevents voters from supporting the individual they believe is best qualified.
The only way to avoid this limitation and preserve your freedom to choose any candidate in the primaries is to register as โNo Party (unaffiliated).โ This designation allows you to maintain true independence and ensures that your primary vote is not dictated by party rules.
If you believe voters โ not political parties โ should decide who they can vote for, you can send a clear message to Baton Rouge by changing your current party affiliation to โNo Party (unaffiliated).โ
THOMAS NOLAN THOMPSON
Slidell