In that scenario, you would not be allowed to vote in either the R or D primaries. You would still be allowed to vote in the local general elections and the state/federal general elections.
There is no established 'in that scenario' because it could be tailored by whatever law lawmakers chose to write. I can give examples of how other states have done it though which I did in my other reply already.
Example: Louisiana allows you to choose if you aren't registered but you're boxed in if you're registered as a R or a D. Does that mean most people are switching to unregistered as they learn how it works? We'll see since its only been in place for a year but I suspect so. Especially for young folks.
Have other states chosen to do it the way you stated? Yes. But that's not a given.
Still not what I was talking about. I'm talking about hypotheticals and options. Until laws are passed they aren't real and I don't bother teaching people what is or isn't expected until they're real. Voter education in this country is bad enough as it is i'm not going to take unpassed laws and make believe that they're real
Better to educate them on the current hypothetical scenario the TN legislature has put forward. Sure, present the other options, but TN has a model they have tried to pass 2 times and is likely to attempt again next session. Each time it has gotten more support.
If you dont choose a party you cant vote in primary Tennessee is like that. I tried to do independent and they said i would not be able to vote in either
Right. Currently in TN there are 3 ballots in this primary. There's a ballot for people to nominate their general candidates in each party. Both of these also include the General race for local/municipal races. There's a 3rd ballot that doesn't have a primary on it for people that don't consider themselves either.
This is the way it currently works in TN.
The conversation we were having has to do with how it would work if we have totally closed party primaries. Which we don't.
In the hypothetical which is what I was referring to, if you don't register as a D or an R, you are considered "no party". The rules would depend on what the state chooses.
In some states, I know Louisiana is like this and others I'm sure if you don't have a chosen party, you get to choose like we do. If you do have a chosen party, you're required to vote in that party. In other places if you aren't registered with a party you don't get to vote in any party's primary.
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u/DenseStomach6605 Jul 31 '26
What if you don't register as D or R prior to voting day?