Letter: Say no to open primaries in New York
Long Island voters will decide the outcomes of contested elections in the villages of Northport, Roslyn Estates, East Hills, East Williston, Mineola, Lindenhurst, Mastic Beach, Patchogue and Head of the Harbor on Tuesday, March 15, 2015. Credit: AP, 2010
I strongly disagree with your editorial calling for New York to have open primaries [“NY primary rules need to change,” March 15]. As a lifelong Democrat, I see no sense in opening up one of the most important decisions a party can facilitate — nominating a presidential candidate — to those who aren’t party members.
This is not a new law; this has always been the case in New York. People have always known that by not registering for a major party, or if they join a minor party or none at all, they can’t vote in a primary.
As an example, think of the 2012 presidential election, when President Barack Obama had no Democratic opponent. A Democrat like myself could not then vote in the Republican primary. If we could, we might have chosen the weakest Republican candidate to face the president, to help him get re-elected.
Republicans should vote in Republican primaries, and Democrats in Democratic primaries, so the candidates they choose reflect the will of the party members and not some outsiders who might be tempted to make mischief in the nominating process.
Tony Smolenski, Little Neck
