> Bryan > wrote:
>
>Missouri has a stupid open primary
> system where you can choose which party's primary to vote in on
> election day.

Illinois does that. When I walk up to my precinct on the day of the
primary I ask what parties are available. If there's a Libertarian
ticket I ask for it. If look through the list of other parties hoping
that there will be some choice, any choice, other than the Democrans or
Republicrats. I gave up on them a long time ago. I've voted Green in
primaries.

Let's see if I understand the problem. In Illinois the result of the
primary is binding on the deligates to the national convention. The
only way they can vote otherwise is if the candidate they were
instructed to vote for gives his votes to someone else. If I understand
correctly the primary results in Missouri are advisory, right? Yuck.

California has an amazing system that could qualify as a literacy test.
According to national rules political parties can only count their own
members during primary elections. According to California rules voters
declare their party affiliation when they register yet anyone can vote
for members of any party. The end result is anyone who votes for a
member of any other party wastes that vote. I knew folks who registered
on the day of the deadline to be able to change to the party they wanted
to effect the most because of this rule. I also knew folks who never
got it and claimed to vote all over the board. Thus wasting their votes.