This Tuesday, March 5, is the quadrennial Presidential Primary Election Day when Democrats and Republicans (as well as the members of the Libertarian Party) will have an opportunity to choose their candidates for President.
In addition, although those who are registered as Democrats, Republicans, or Libertarians must vote in their own party’s primary, those who are registered as Unenrolled (also known as Independents) may choose to vote in any party primary.
On the Democratic side, the candidates are President Joe Biden, Marianne Wlliamson, and Dean Phillips. For the Republicans, the only remaining announced candidates, Donald Trump and Nikki Haley, will be on the ballot.
We would note that there also is a separate line on the ballot for “No Preference.” Although the consensus is that the selections of the major party candidates, Joe Biden for the Democrats and Donald Trump for the Republicans, are a foregone conclusion, voters still have the opportunity to express their overall regard for those candidates by filling in the oval for “No Preference.” Nikki Haley recently was on the Republican ballot in Nevada (Trump was not) and she actually lost to the choice for “None of the above” — truly a harbinger for her candidacy.
Tuesday’s primary also serves as the election for the candidates for the State Committees (male and female) and the local city and town committee members for each party. The Presidential Primary serves as the once-every-four-years opportunity for party voters to choose the future direction of their party with the election of their state and local party committee members.
Early voting for the primary already is underway. We urge all of our readers either to vote early or on March 5. Every election has consequences and only by voting at every possible opportunity can we express our preferences to our elected and party leaders.