I liked Joel Kovel's "green utopianism" piece so much I thought I'd change my party so I could vote for him in the primary. It turns out any change in party affiliation doesn't take effect in New York until after the following general election -- *but* it also turns out that it doesn't matter in presidential elections because they're open: anybody can vote for any candidate. I made the guy from the county board of elections repeat that three times, but he stuck to his guns: state and city primaries are held in September and are closed: people can only vote in the party for which they are registered. But the quadrennial national primaries that happen in March are open, and anybody can vote for candidates of any party.
Has this always been true? I don't remember anyone mentioning during that whole flap about McCain getting on the ballot. It seems like it would have been germane.
Not that I care, you understand. But it is nice that I can vote for Joel. If the Greens publicized this fact, maybe they could attract a bigger vote to their primary from registered Democrats who want to cast a vote that matters, their own primary having already been decided.
Michael
__________________________________________________________________________ Michael Pollak................New York City..............mpollak at panix.com