Not only do they provide bizarre images to include on MySpace, to appeal to the under 18 voting crowd I presume, but they try to suggest that voting in the primary actually matters. It doesn’t. It’s the equivalent of a CNN web poll, for the Democrats, completely non-binding. It’s pretty much the same for the Republicans — 51% of the delegates are drawn from the vote, but it doesn’t matter because the few individuals that comprise the other 49% hold the real power (unless all 51% of the voters happen to pick the same candidate, which they know is unlikely).
That the primary is run through “official” channels makes the joke all the worse. It’s this sort of obvious illusion of choice (on par with the infamous “Stadium votes”) that furthers voter apathy and discontent.
I wrote an email to our Secretary of State outlining my desires, included below, if you want to read it. Re-reading it now, I see some issues with it, but oh well: what’s sent is sent.