Republicans to require loyalty oath

From the Richmond Times Dispatch:

The state Republican Party will require voters to sign a loyalty oath in order to participate in the March 6 presidential primary.

Anyone who wants to vote must sign a form at the polling place pledging to support the eventual Republican nominee for president. Anyone who refuses to sign will be barred from voting in the primary.

During a brief meeting Wednesday at the state Capitol, the State Board of Elections voted 3-0 to approve three forms developed by the election board’s staff to implement the loyalty pledge requested by the state GOP.

Is that even legal?  I thought that Virginia primaries were open to any registered voter, regardless of party.   If Republicans want to keep their votes ‘pure’ it seems to me that they should have a convention primary.  That’s a little easier to keep the ‘riff raff’ out of. 

I expect there will be legal challenges.  If I were a Republican, I would not like being held to the standard of voting for anyone who happens to win the nomination.  In fact, that was one reason I left the Democrats.  I didn’t like having to pledge a vote. 

If Republicans want to keep their primary pure, then they need to change the state laws so that one must register as either a Democrat or Republican to be able to vote in a primary (or some other combination for third party Independents).  Until that happens, I would say that any registered voter should get to vote in an election.

From  the State Board of Elections website:

Can I vote for candidates from different parties?
   Virginia is an open primary state which means that any qualified voter can vote in either party’s primary election. Virginia does not have party registration in its voter registration process. In other words, citizens do not designate a political party affiliation when registering to vote in Virginia. The only restriction is when more than one party primary is held on the same day, also known as a dual primary. While Virginia election law stipulates that any qualified voter may voter in either political party’s primary, no voter may vote in more than one political party’s primary on the same election day.

 If I vote in a particular party’s primary, will my voter registration records become affiliated with that party?
   No.  Voting in any party’s primary election in Virginia does not affiliate the voter with either of the political parties.  The fact that you voted in the party’s primary becomes part of your voting history but, does not affiliate you with either political party.  Voting in a party’s primary does not hinder the voter’s choices in future elections (primary or general).  (Emphasis mine)

Republican Primary Day 8/23/11

The primary election is very late this year.  Usually all primaries  are over  in the late spring and the emerging candidates have had an opportunity to campaign all summer.  This year the candidates for the general election sat back, if they were not challenged in their own party, and let the primary candidates duke it out.   The delay was caused mainly by the redistricting that occurs every ten years as a result of  new census numbers.

The primaries have brought about the usually cases of devouring one’s own young, with some campaigns being more vicious than others.  The Internet is a powerful tool.  It allows  some  a louder voice than one would  normally  have and it gives those who oppose a candidate  an even louder voice, if they so choose,  because they can spew venom at will without detection.   The Internet political enemy  can change identities or they can clone themselves into multiple villains all with the same target.  In a democracy, disagreement is normal and even healthy. The anonymity of the Internet creates a situation where attackers do not have to assume responsibility for their words and deeds. 

Normally nice people can cause hurt.  However, bullies love the Internet because they can become bigger than life and can inflict pain and political damage on people with very little effort.   The bullies don’t just emerge at election time.  They are always lurking in the shadows, ready to hurl some nasty invective  at someone who has displeased them or at some perceived enemy.  However,  an election can become a feeding frenzy for the bully.  Bullies can keep decent folks from even wanting to run for office.   

People of good will and decent character need to shun these bullies and  refuse to associate with them.  We know who most of them are.  It is critical to a democracy to keep good people who bring a wealth of talent to public service wanting to serve.  They will not if we allow meanness and character assassination to drive them away.

Editors note:

Results:

Covington wins Brentsville

Candland wins Gainesville

Nohe wins Coles

Stirrup loses 13th to Black

Ramadan wins 87th