[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Marmaduke

This is absolutely NOT "Voter Suppression" in any way, shape or form.

Florida is a Primary State.
There are many other states who follow these same rules.

We "checked out" election policies before we choose to move to the Great State of Florida.
We got to know our Board of Elections Supervisor upon landing here to make sure they had the knowledge to operate fair election cycles.
We invite and meet with our candidates on a regular basis to make sure they are intellectuals, not dummies looking to milk the system . We are informed voters.
Therefore, Primary Elections come as no surprise to us.

The other party did not have a motivated candidate to run.

Anyone could have run,
but they did not, so there is only one party represented, thus that party votes in the Primary for "their candidate" to move then forward into the General Election.

Candidates on both sides must be 'motivated' to do what it takes to run for election.
Evidently, there were no Democrats who chose to compete for the seat.

If the tables were turned, and there was only a Democrat running for the seat, Republicans would not be allowed to vote in their Primary.

Charging "Voter Suppression" is like saying The Villages aren't fair because they have RULES.

It appears you do not understand the rules for Florida primaries.

If there will only be one party represented at the general election then the primary is open to all voters.

The assumption is that both parties will be represented and therefore the primaries are closed.

This commissioner race is something of a gray area. There will be only one name on the ballot in the general election which makes it look like the "open exception" should apply. However, since individuals have registered as write-in candidates the exception does not apply and the primary is closed EVEN THOUGH THEIR NAMES WILL NOT APPEAR ON THE BALLOT.

By law, this is not voter suppression. By (apparent) intent and in effect.....

[Berwin]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Yes, that is correct. All Sumter County residents vote for all districts.

Something called One Sumter passed many years ago to make it this way. Occasionally you will here about a Reverse One Sumter initiative to try to change it back to voting only for your own district.

The political maneuverings around the One Sumter initiative are explained in the book, 'Leisureville: Adventures in a World Without Children' which many people on here bash as being anti-villages but who may not have read the whole thing.

[coconutmama]

Originally Posted by Caymus

Where did you live before? This is very common in most states.

This closed primary system is in only 12 states. Certainly not “in most states”.

[ThirdOfFive]

If YOUR party sees fit to run a candidate in the general election, then YOUR party will hold a primary and YOU will get to vote in it.

Seems as if not running a candidate in the general election, but instead trying to manipulate the primary vote in the opposing party, is nothing but an end run.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Berwin

The political maneuverings around the One Sumter initiative are explained in the book, 'Leisureville: Adventures in a World Without Children' which many people on here bash as being anti-villages but who may not have read the whole thing.

Thanks. I have my own theories about the origins but it will be interesting to read something written around that time.

Many take statements of fact as bashing. At the same time, some state facts in such a way as to effectively bash. Many are too sensitive, some are too creative.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by ThirdOfFive

If YOUR party sees fit to run a candidate in the general election, then YOUR party will hold a primary and YOU will get to vote in it.

Seems as if not running a candidate in the general election, but instead trying to manipulate the primary vote in the opposing party, is nothing but an end run.

If my party does not field a candidate then does that really mean I should have no voice in who will be representing me? If the primary is the only opportunity to choose between candidates then the primary should be open to all who will be represented by the candidates.

In this case, with a write-in candidate registered, there will technically be a choice at the general election so the primary is closed.

Technicalities, like loopholes, are legal and effective but are often distasteful.

Separate topic, but I am a big fan of ranked-choice voting which could make primaries unnecessary.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Pballer

Seeing as the government knows that voters will not have a choice of commissioner in the general election, they should allow anyone to vote for commissioner in the primary. Making a voter jump through hoops to switch their party affiliation back and forth in order to exercise what should be their right to have a say in who their commissioner will be just seems like a highly successful attempt at voter suppression.

It's not voter suppression. 14 states plus Washington DC are all "closed party" states. Another 15 states are semi-closed party states. That comes to 29 states plus DC, which qualifies the "closed or semi-closed" party state count to "most."

MOST states are either closed party, or semi-closed party. The minority of states are open primary states.

The closed party states include both red and blue, and even "purple" states. There is no voter suppression, anyone CAN switch their party online or anywhere they can declare a party affiliation. There is always a deadline, and they can switch any time before that deadline. They can then switch back the day after the election.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Rzepecki

I’m registered as NPA and was able to vote in the Primary for nonpartisan positions.

Correct. But you can't vote for a partisan position. Not democrat or republican, as a NPA (unaffiliated, like me).

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by coconutmama

This closed primary system is in only 12 states. Certainly not “in most states”.

14 states plus Washington DC are closed. Another 15 states are "semi-closed." That's 29 states plus Washington DC. The remaining 23 states are the minority of states that have open primaries for all elections.

[mraines]

Originally Posted by Pballer

So basically if you are not a registered Republican, you have the same choices in voting for commissioner as they would have in Russia or China - no choice. Great system.

In Sumter County, it is my understanding that anyone could have voted for the Republican commissioners until the Developer used a loophole and had 3 write in candidates put on the ballot restricting the voting to Republicans only. Nice.