You said: “EDITOR NOTE–You declare at the polls and you get the appropriate ballot. No way to register one way and vote another in the primary. If you are not affiliated, you get to vote only to retain three judges.”

Here’s the real story: You do declare at the polls, but your party affiliation does NOT dictate the ballot you can receive. The Democrats haven’t closed their primary so ANYONE (even affiliated R’s) can choose to vote a Democrat ballot. On the flip side, since the Republicans have closed their primary, only affiliated R’s get an invite to that party…

If you have previously registered and declared your party as “unaffiliated,” you can choose which ballot you would like to vote at the polls.

Your affiliation, and the party ballot you receive, however, is public record for the world to see (and if you’re a news reporter, judge, or other honcho, likely for Wayne Hoffman to publish)

That was some smooth politikin’ on the part of lawmakers who forced the closed primary.

I work as a Chief Judge for the elections, and if you tally the salaries of each chief judge, plus the 7-8 pollworkers we’ll need to run this madhouse, times 145 precincts…the price tag tops $150,000 for just Ada County to hire enough people to work this over-glorified caucus.

While verifying our most recent polling place (Yes, it has been moved again. . .) we happened to view the sample ballots. It appears to us that the Melba school board has once again acted with its consistent, pre-established, conniving, efficiency for no information, or slanted misinformation, to use the BACK of the PRIMARY ballot for a Supplemental Levy.

We went so far as to drive to a couple of previous polling places the day when all of the other local Districts were holding their Bond and Supplemental elections. We were assured at that time that Melba was not having one. No one mentioned that, like a parasitic rider attached to a Congressional bill, they would be running one under most folk’s radar on the back side of a Primary Election ballot.

I know that our rulers don’t count it as such but I view every increase in all forms of taxes, and even the recent, but unheralded 25 to 30 increase in Ada trash fees as significant inflation.

But after the drunk rich guy threatening me (and threatening his own vertical orientation) there really were a lot of friendly people glad to be apart of something so new and interesting that were just plain misinformed by the media or by well intentioned by equally as clueless friends.

The GOP could have na lot better with the combination of a transition to a closed Primary PLUS moving to a caucus from a primary.

The combination of those two changes is what really threw the average GOP voter for a loop.

It’s not confusing, it may be irritating, but if you’re confused by that, and are unable to spend a second asking the question and getting an answer, then please, do your country, your state and your county a favor – stay home.

EDITOR NOTE–Dave and editor are NOT on e in the same. Dave the reader appeared to think non affiliated voters were the only ones to vote for judges or that Dems and Repubs couldn’t vote for judges. I thought I gave a decent explanation.

EDITOR NOTE–Told you it was confusing! EVERYONE gets to vote for the judges. If you are a “non affiliated voter” you get to vote ONLY for judges. The vote for judges is retention for those in office, not appointment of new judges.

Though, in fairness, I should point out that each county in Idaho established the guidelines and locations for their caucus. Don’t like the GOP caucus process this year? Then vote out the county chair and put power in a different set of hands.

The party of less regualation, small government wanted to dictate personal medical decisions for women this last legilative session saying all life is precious yet they all stand four square in support of the death penalty. How do they reconcile this?

What you see as a privacy issue, campaigns will see as a fabulous mailing list. They will know be able to direct mailings to the party faithful or to the not so faithful.

The Idaho GOP is hardly inventing the wheel here people. This is something that has been around in many many many other states for a very long time.

Here, let me google that for ya:
http://grassrootsidgop.wordpress.com/list-of-states-with-open-and-closed-primaries/

Regarding the privacy issue, there is no limit on the number of times someone can declare their affiliation. So, go declare at the poll for DEMs, vote in their primary, and then switch back to unaffiliated.

Yes the DEM party will get an updated list with your name on it, but your CURRENT affiliation was unaffiliated.

Yes the fact that employers or coworkers are so narrow minded as to care what your affiliation is, is itself a problem. And I know not everyone can simply change coworkers. This isn’t an ideal situation by far. Neither was it before the change.