Why do centrist Democrats not vote in the primaries?

[kentuck]

Or why do they vote in such low numbers? Why is that the majority of Democrats that vote in primaries are more liberal and more activist? Do centrists only participate in general elections? Is this a problem for Democrats that Repubs do not have to cope with? Should the "activists" take into account the centrists and moderates that refuse to turn out for the primaries and vote against their conscience and against the candidate they prefer, assuming that they cannot win with their message in the general election, no matter how many new voters are involved in the process?

Is this a rational way to vote? Obviously these folks that do not participate in the primaries are not leaders, they are followers. How long do we continue to compromise our political conscience to appease these voters? We have heard the argument a million times that you cannot win with the message that is put out in the primaries. So why even have primaries?

[theivoryqueen]

1. isn't it the more partisan elements of both parties that vote in primaries

[kentuck]

3. Would more "partisan" be considered as more liberal and activist?

:shrug:

[Gman]

2. Be they liberal, moderate or conservative

it's the partisan that vote. It so happens that liberals are probably more partisan and likely more motivated to vote.

[Walt Starr]

If the centrists of either party participated in the primaries

This would be a nation run by the centrists.

Seriously.

[gWbush is Mabus]

4. if we did not have primaries, Lieberman would be our candidate

[kentuck]

7. Doesn't Lieberman appeal to the "centrists" of our Party?

Wouldn't he be the ideal candidate for our Party, if the above thoughts are true?

[Racenut20]

5. Only Right Wingers vote in Repub primaries. check 96 and 2000

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. They're busy watching NASCAR or wrestling.

The Democrats, since the DLC arose, have focused on these folks to the detriment of the party. It's part of the dumbing down of the electorate to the point where the only things that count are sound bites, photo-ops, and the way the candidate dresses.

Democracy by fad.

[DinkyDem]

8. Because only the activists are paying attention

at this point in the process. And it's the same for the Republicans.
Moderate voters on either side only pull their heads up once every 2 to 4 years to take a look around and make a brash decision.

[kentuck]

10. So we compromise our beliefs for those folks with heads in the sand?

Doesn't sound very wise, does it??

[LisaM]

9. Washington State isn't even going to have Presidential primaries

We have caucuses. I went to these exactly ONCE (I'll probably go this time) and I did not like it. Eventually, my candidate (Harkin) got nothing out of it, so my vote was essentially not counted. We kept voting and voting in small circles by neighborhood. My neighbor and friend, who admits he doesn't care about politics, was stubbornly voting for Jerry Brown, even though if he had shifted to Harkin, we could have gotten him on a second ballot (he probably couldn't even have named one of Brown's policies). Also, there were people from national campaigns, Clinton's in particular, trying to persuade us to change our votes. The district Democrats (I've sent my information to them numerous times and they have never put me on their list, not once) had a headlock on the entire proceedings and there was some arm-twisting going on. Nothing was done in secret. I am not sure why we have this system, but it was intimidating.

[ShimokitaJer]

11. The problem is that centrists who only vote in general elections...

might also end up giving their votes to the Republicans. After all, 20% of registered Dems voted for Bush in 2000 and polls still show Democratic numbers in the teens for him. They may not care enough to vote on whether the Dems elect Kucinich or Lieberman, but they'll certainly care enough to vote when whoever it is runs against Bush.

Personally, I think many Dems don't really share Dem values and many Repubs don't really share Repub values. Force of habit is hard to overcome and it's always so easy to go with the name you've always used.

[kentuck]

12. I do understand that the 50% that do not vote is not calculated into...

the equation...obviusly the "centrist" message is not appealing to those voters. Would they even vote if they were offered another alternative?