Who gets to decide how we vote in the Primaries? If we wanted to change to ranked voting, eg,

[GreenPartyVoter]

is it done with the Platform or some other way?

I think ranked voting, even when down to two candidates would be very helpful. You could rank the candidate of your heart in first place, the candidate of your head in the second place, and assign no vote or a 0 to one who gets a vote of no confidence. This would give the party a whole lot more detailed picture of who we want to support.

[brooklynite]

1. It's done with the State Party or State Government...

...all the DNC does is allocate delegates, and give a basic frame for the Primary calendar.

[morningfog]

5. But the party decided the convention rules, supers numbers, etc.

[brooklynite]

6. But not voting mechanics at Primaries and Caucuses.

[Eric J in MN]

2. For primaries, the state governments decide.

For caucuses, the parties decide.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. It would be nice if we could get everyone to switch over!

[Demsrule86]

4. State parties and state government sometimes are involved

There is no Democratic one primary fits all... I am for closed primaries because I have seen the GOP trash Dem primaries before. Also, Democrats pick a Democratic candidate and that is as it should be. I live in Ohio which is an open primary state.

[beachbum bob]

7. the state parties in most cases set the state rules.....actual primary dates are

negotiated between DNC and the state parties. Thats why we see changes of the dates for states between election cycles. Primaries should and are in most cases, closed...so outside forces can't interfere with choices...the way it should be.....if a voter wishes to participate in the process...first rule is to UNDERSTAND the process....and not whine about after the fact....

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. OK, but what do you think of using ranked voting in the way I had suggested?

[MineralMan]

9. State by state. That's how it works.

Elections are state-run things, even party primaries.

It would have to be changed in each individual state. Here in Minnesota, we're experimenting with ranked-choice voting. So far, only for local elections. Some voters like it. Others do not like it. Will it be expanded to all elections? Probably not within the next four years. It's still in the testing phase.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Glad your state is giving it a go. Maine thought about it, but the town clerks fought against

the extra work, and understandably so. Still, if we'd had it in place, we might not have had LePage for two terms.

[MineralMan]

11. I've voted twice using ranked choice voting.

Both times it was for city officials in St. Paul. It worked OK, but the ballot is a little confusing, as many voters said. It also increases the size of the ballot considerably, and would do that even more in a large ballot with many candidates.

The worst part, from the general point of view, is that it's hard to understand as the votes are counted. Watching the TV news folks trying to explain it demonstrated why that is.

I like the idea, since it prevents costly run-off elections, but I can see how it will be unpopular with many people. Personally, I don't care. I'll vote intelligently on any ballot put in front of me. I understand ranked choice voting, so it doesn't bother me at all. Given the number of objections to it here in St. Paul, though, not everyone agrees with me.

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. If they dislike IRV, they would really hate Condorcet.

[OilemFirchen]

12. How are the Green Party primaries going?

Just curious.

[GreenPartyVoter]

13. No idea. I changed my affiliation so I could caucus for Bernie.

[OilemFirchen]

15. Okay. Prior to changing your affiliation...

did the Green Party primaries employ ranked voting?

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Sorry to say, I never made it to a Caucus. I do know they favor IRV in general.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

17. No! No! That would be too democratic for the Democratic Party.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. It must be, or Dem Administrations would have pushed for it by now

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. Cui bono? Who benefits from the two-party system?

Poor people? Uneducated people? Sick people? Old people?

Or...

Capitalists?

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. Indeed!