Oregon Primary results hangover, talk me off the figurative ledge.

[Colts4me]

How many people in either party actually pick who will run? Who is it that makes the final decision in the party on who to run? What is the purity test that's given to make sure that candidate is best for the people. Is it how much money they have to run or is it who does the best job.?

 

[OldBroad44]

I'm not 100% on board with the prinary results either, but even more disappointed in the turnout.

I think this was the HIGHEST OREGON (mid-season) PRIMARY TURNOUT EVER. Ballots returned was 894,574. In 2014 it was 752,732. It's being reported in terms of % of total voters on the roll. But this is misleading, because who is on the rolls has been changed.

In 2016, Oregon began registering everyone who applied for a drivers license or dl renewal automatically; they had to specifically opt out to stay off the voter registry. So a whole lot of people have been signed up to vote who didn't apply to vote, have never voted, and are never going to vote. This means that the total number of "eligible" voters went up, but that number and the derived percents of ballots return doesn't really correlate to anything that went before. It no longer represents the total number of voters at all--where "voter" means someone who has ever participated in an Oregon election.

In 2014, there were 752,732 ballots returned of 2,113,430 eligible, and the eligible were all people who actually actively signed up to vote. And that was 35.6%.

In 2018 the election office says 895,574 ballots were returned of 2,665,048 eligible, which is only 33.6% of those eligible, but those now "eligible" includes all those previous non-voters who were signed up by the DMV. If we instead use the 2,113,430 from the last (2014) tally before the DMV started enrolling nonvoters, as the more valid tally of "real" voters, the turnout in 2018 was 42%. For a off-season primary that's very good, possibly the best we have ever had. Primary turnout is generally never all that impressive. A lot of people don't vote at all; and it takes a higher level of interest to vote in a primary than the main show.

 

[Colts4me]

Who gets to vote on who runs the parties? The parties tell you they know best but give you no choice in picking who will run, they only give you a choice of who they choose.

 

[E4mafia]

My opinion is that Republicans are bigger crybabies when their "perfect" candidate isn't on the ballot or doesn't win. Rather than try to win the fight, they go off and pout and refuse to vote because they can't get exactly what they want. Honestly, that's part of the reason I'm no longer part of the Republican party. People can't see the bigger battle and that we can win, even if we can't get everything they want. Some folks would rather let Kate f'ing Brown win than case a vote for Knute. What kind of short-sighted BS is that? It really gets to me sometimes. I will vote for Knute because the alternative is 1000% worse. We already know what Kate will give us, Knute may be a question mark, but I seriously doubt he'd be actively working against our rights like Kate will.

Maybe Republicans could learn a lesson from Democrats here - you rally behind your damn candidate, whether they're a perfect reflection of what you want or not. And THAT is how they keep winning elections and we keep losing them.

FUGGING THIS!!! X1000000
The indies and Repubs need to communicate better and hash out a flow chart on who to stand by if things aren't looking good and set aside personal differences, this is like the biggest fault repubs have is one moment its all for one and then suddenly flips the less options become available to the point of individualism entirely taking over which leads to "why should I vote? my guy/gal isn't in"

The dems can steam roll all day because they'll at least stick by a candidate or agenda and sacrifice for the greater good. I will give them at least that considering they have a team mindset vs individualism. AFTER YOU WIN, then consider individualism by contacting senators and congress urging your pleas.

I would also like to add in something to think about. Oregon is a Trifecta blue state (Governor, Senate, House) The Dems will have easy backing support both in state and outside influences/financers. Remaining independent and filling out a write in candidate obstructs a republican candidate more than it helps (see entire thread to now). Voting republican is an easy task if you want to halt the big pushes for gun control and more regulations/oversight. NOW even if it doesn't 100% align with your political beliefs and life experiences you should still try to negotiate a truce between Reps and Independent voters otherwise it'll just keep repeating itself as the Dems turn this State into a super majority unchallenged. Things to consider i'd hope.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

It's funny to me, people think they get he choice because they vote in the primary. It's not true of course, the party picks who you vote for and you have nothing to do with the process of who they pick. As an independent at least you stand with your own values and not the full agenda of a party. Yes the vote in November is going to be the lesser of two evils but I had no part in putting that evil on your ballot.

Once again you preach that votes don't matter. You are the problem.

 

[Colts4me]

Once again you preach that votes don't matter. You are the problem.

I am just not insane enough to do the same thing over and over and expect change. I showed you the problem and rather than talk how to fix it you blame me for the outcome. I am not the problem and you have no understanding of what the problem is. Do look around and see the outcome of the insanity is you want me to follow. Once you understand the system you are in you can see the corruption of the vote, how it's manipulated. Maybe you should work on your understanding before you blame me as the problem.

 

[Doublesunder]

Once again you preach that votes don't matter. You are the problem.

I endorse this statement 100%

 

[Colts4me]

I endorse this statement 100%

Ya there are a lot of guys with little common sense and no ability to solve problems When you have no answer then you lay the fault on others. Common, very common.

 

[oneharmonic]

You might be back on the ledge after what happened in Texas today.

Gun control will be back in the headlines once again.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Ya there are a lot of guys with little common sense and no ability to solve problems When you have no answer then you lay the fault on others. Common, very common.

OK, I'm waiting for your solution. So far allI have heard is "Don't vote, it's a waste of time."

 

[Colts4me]

OK, I'm waiting for your solution. So far allI have heard is "Don't vote, it's a waste of time."

The solution is to change the way the parties operate so you can get good people in government. The system now has the powerful picking the cadidate and the party folks themselves having no voice. So you find a way to get the voice of the people in the party heard in picking who runs. The system is broke down into smaller groups with leaders of each of these groups. Right now about any three people in the group can pick who the group supposedly wants. The process needs to change.

Party should ask all potential runners to speak before groups and take questions all over the state via internet so everyone in the party learns who they are then everyone in the party votes for who they want. The party should never pick three and you must vote for one. The people themselves need involvement in the process to get a good person.

What's fair in an election, money is speech so the guy with the most money gets heard the most. Is a man better because he has more money? Does it make him honest and fit for the job, how did he get his money? Maybe money will buy top people to help him govern or maybe he is dirty and bribes people. Money is power but it doesn't always win when they spend it wrong. Can a good honest man that knows how to govern win an election without money?

Anything social can be fixed if folks want to but the powerful stand in the way.

I don't mind you guys stepping on me and calling me the problem, I understand your frustration. You would be better served learning how the system works by yourselves so you can see it the way it really is. Anyway I am done because I tire of arguing with you guys that wont' take the time to get informed. That's the real problem you know, voters who really don't know how its all put together and think their votes count.

Change only comes from the ballot and the people who put the ballot together are the ones who decide what changes will be made. Letting you vote gives you the feeling you are a part of it but fact is they don't let you vote if you even want that particular change on the ballot. In the initiative process if 88,000 signatures are brought asking for change like 43 will bring it's put on the ballot. Then it's up or down by the vote, why should we even be voting on something against he second amendment? Because the powers to be want the vote while they have the votes to pass it.

Anyway it's late and I am tired of rambling to people that dont' like to read what I have to say. Having been involved in elections from the precinct level I know how they work. I spent a lot of time trying to make a difference and for all that work folks who never did anything tell me I am the problem.

 

[Scot4ever]

How many of us posting and reading got off the couch to vote? My household voted.

 

[Captain O]

I did.

 

[maddog]

Everybody in my family did.

 

[mrblond]

yes! everyone has to vote and we need to pray for a pot sale in Portland on election day, maybe all the hipsters will stay home.

 

[mkwerx]

Wife and I voted, and I dropped our ballots at an election office drop site, no chancing them getting lost in the mail

 

[Captain O]

Dropped mine off in person at the courthouse. Nothing to be lost from me.

 

[Cavedweller]

So, I was listening to the radio the other day (post election) and was surprised to hear a Sam Carpenter for Gov ad. Was this a screw-up by the radio station, some leftover from an advance buy, or what? Someone please tell me he's not going to run as an independent or something and split the conservative vote.

 

[etrain16]

Our ballots always get dropped off directly at the elections office, to hopefully minimize any funny business.

 

[etrain16]

So, I was listening to the radio the other day (post election) and was surprised to hear a Sam Carpenter for Gov ad. Was this a screw-up by the radio station, some leftover from an advance buy, or what? Someone please tell me he's not going to run as an independent or something and split the conservative vote.

Agreed. The voters already made it clear, by a good margin, that they want Knute. All an independent run would do would be to guarantee a Kate Brown victory. Every single voter in this state that is against Brown has to vote for Knute. If they don't, then this is already over before it's even begun.