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.

Secretary Reed:

I’ve just received my absentee ballot in the mail and I am returning
it blank. I find it bizarre that political parties can use your office
to help them determine which of their candidates they think has the
best shot in the national contest. Equally bizarre is the fact that
the Democrats don’t use the results at all, and the Republicans only
use the results for half of their delegates. Other parties, which
actually may have wanted to use the results in full, are entirely
excluded. On top of all of that, I have to sign an oath stating that I
am a member of one of the only two parties on the ballot?

Why does the state get involved in candidate selection? I am concerned
that this process reinforces the idea that there are only two parties,
and that it reduces choice through a form of coercion — the state is
saying that if you don’t align yourself with a party your vote will
not count.

I know I am just one voter, but I would like to see some changes. If I
should be sending these to someone else (such as legislators), please
let me know.

Of course, I’d like to see the primary process entirely discarded, so
that the parties can select for themselves, using whatever method they
desire, the candidate they want to put forth in the main election.

If that cannot change, I would like to see some third parties included
on the ballot, rather than entirely shut out.

If they’re not interested, then the last (and least) thing I would
like to see is an additional checkbox on the ballot envelope allowing
one to state that they are not a member of either party, so you could
differentiate those that misunderstood the process from those that
conscientiously chose not to swear allegiance to a party.

Thank you for your time.