Maryland invalidates indepedent voters

[The Northerner]

Source: The Hill

The state of Maryland has invalidated independent voters, forcing them to choose a political party or "unaffiliated" on their voter registration.

Letters went out last week in all of the state's 24 counties to registered voters, informing them that the "independent" party is no longer recognized under Maryland's state election laws. Voters who registered as "independent" are given two weeks to pick a party, or they will automatically be reverted to "unaffiliated" on their voter registration records.

Ross Goldstein, deputy administrator for the state elections board, said a previous group of officers who had registered the Independent party in the state did not renew their registration records or any campaign finance reporting records. When that happened, Goldstein said, the party became decertified under state law.

Maryland is a closed primary state, meaning that voters must register as Democrats to vote in a Democratic primary, or as Republicans to vote in a Republican primary. For the general election, no affiliation is necessary. The laws are the same throughout all 24 counties.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/other-races/109439-maryland-invalidates-indepedent-voters

[qanda]

1. I got my notice about a month ago

I just let it go. I prefer not to be associated with any political party so unaffiliated fits me just fine.

[nyy1998]

2. I'm confused by this, so if they don't choose a party

they just switch to unaffiliated, right? THey could still vote in that case, no? If that were the case, why would their vote be "invalidated"?

[aquart]

3. They can't vote in the primaries.

And I can't tell you how much that pleases me.

[nyy1998]

4. Ok I see

I thought when I read that the "invalidated" was referring to their general election votes. Thanks for the clear-up.

[Old Troop]

6. Please tell me if I got this wrong. What I think you're saying is that some

people should be excluded from voting if they can't be trusted to vote the correct way.

[jberryhill]

5. Until some joker forms "The Unaffiliated Party" in Maryland...

...then everyone has to switch again.