WtV’s Primer on the Primaries
Primaries - we’re hearing about them in the news, more are on the way (Looking at you, Michigan and Missouri!), and we know they’re important, vaguely - but most people aren’t clear why. What exactly are the primaries, and why should they matter to me, you, and the rest of the veteran and military family community?
Primaries determine who we vote for in November
The big picture - primaries are how we decide which candidates from the 2 big parties will represent each party during the November elections. Republican candidates compete against each other, and Democrats compete against each other, and the winners of the primaries face off in November.
There are three kinds of primaries:
Open - Open primaries mean anyone can vote in the primary election, regardless of party affiliation.
Closed - Closed primaries mean you must be registered as a Republican to vote in a Republican primary, or Democrat to vote in a Democratic primary. These primaries face a lot of controversy, because it leaves independent voters, or voters who prefer to not openly affiliate with a party, out of the primary process.
Semi-closed - A semi-closed primary addresses the concerns raised about closed primaries to some extent. In semi-closed primaries, an independent voter can vote in either Republican or Democratic primaries, but a registered Republican can only vote in the Republican primary, while a registered Democrat can only vote in the Democratic primary.
So why do primaries matter so much?
Primaries are our first chance to show our support, or register our concern, with candidates. If you get a jump on learning about what candidates represent in the primaries, you’re more likely to care which candidate is put forth in November. We want the best candidates competing in the general elections, and the primaries allow citizens to shape that process early on.
Primaries are opportunities for us to engage in the civic process
Primaries let citizens engage in the civic process on the ground level. We aren’t waiting til November to see who we wind up with on the ballot, we’re actively helping to choose those people. In addition, primary elections are like every other election - they need volunteers. Volunteering as a poll worker in an election allows us to get a personal experience with our democracy, and the veteran and military family community has always been inclined towards service and our country.
As an extra benefit of volunteering, we will gain an in-depth understanding of how the elections work, we help our friends, neighbors, and community members participate, and we ensure free and fair elections in our own communities. Step by step, these small actions all over the United States keep our democracy safe. It’s such a small time commitment for such an important process. Sign up here to be a poll worker in your primaries, or if the time has already passed, we always need people for the November election.
Ok, great - we’re excited about the primaries. So where are the next ones, and how can we get involved?
First and foremost, vote in your primaries!
Here’s a quick portal on voter registration for every state: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote
Volunteer to be a poll worker - we need them in primaries too!
Vet the Vote is recruiting 100,000 veterans and military family members to serve as the next generation of poll workers. Sign up here!
Encourage others to vote in the primaries and share resources on how to register
Recruit others to vote in the primaries, learn about them, and serve as poll workers. Let us know how you’re spreading the word and participating in your primary elections - are you voting? Volunteering? Helping others register to vote? We want to hear it! You can email us at info@wetheveterans.us, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Please join us to Vet the Vote by signing up here and if you can, please donate any small amount to help us reach as many veterans and military family members as possible.