Readers unhappy with loss of privacy in Michigan primary elections

By Julie Mack - Kalamazoo Gazette
December 28, 2011

For decades, Michigan voters have been able to vote in primary elections without anyone knowing whether they were choosing the Democratic or Republican ballot.

That changes under a new law that goes in action for February's presidential primary.

Now the candidates for each party will be printed on separate ballots, and voters will have to fill out a form at the polls that states which ballot they are selecting.


Within 71 days after the election, the Secretary of State will have available an electronic list of voters who cast a ballot and which party they choose. That list will be available to the public for 22 months.

The change was recommended in August by the Michigan Republican Party, to reduce the number of Democrats participating in the Republican primary. "We should have a process by which Republicans choose the Republican nominee for president," one official said.

Our unscientific online poll indicates almost 80 percent of the readers -- at least those who cast a vote -- disagree with the new law.

"Sadly Michigan is losing more and more freedoms with this junta in control of the state," wrote geeme in an online comment.

From pavlov's dog trainer: " 'Within 71 days after the election, the Secretary of State will have available an electronic list of voters who cast a ballot and which party they choose. That list will be available to the public for 22 months.' " Be prepared to be bombarded with politicians and political parties begging for bucks."

Noted StealthSavant: "Thousands of people from both parties cross vote at every opportunity. Republicans are not exclusive 'victims' of this technique. It could be especially useful in the Republican primary for Democrats next year however."

Jayare2010 suggested that Democrats are being hypocrites in criticizing the GOP for the change, considering Michigan Democrats have moved to a caucus system for picking their presidential candidate:

MI candidates from both major parties (and some smaller ones) were chosen by means of a primary election until the demmies decided to abandon an open election in favor of a closed party caucus. The repubs have so far stayed with the open election process to pick there candidates. Demmies are welcome to rejoin the open election process at any time to allow more people a say in the choice of their candidates. It is ironic that the party which claims that requirements for voters show some sort of ID at the polls restricts those who can participate, is also the same party which chose to remove the primary process from the voters and restrict it to a few bona fide party members.