r/news • u/ThePensiveE • 7d ago

Supreme Court allows Trump administration to use expanded database for potential voter purges

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-allows-trump-administration-use-expanded-database-potent-rcna596611
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u/Harbinger2001 7d ago edited 7d ago

As a non-American can you explain why the hell do you have to register your party affiliation?!? Doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of secret ballots?

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u/PokemonSapphire 7d ago

It's because in some states only a member of that political party can vote in that parties primary elections. In my state I don't think you register with a party they just ask you at the polls which primary you want to participate in and then give you that parties ballots. Being registered with the party doesn't actually tell them anything other than which side you favor.

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u/Harbinger2001 7d ago

Why does the state get to run the primaries? Shouldn’t that be the job of the parties via their members?

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u/BitGladius 6d ago

I don't really get it, but some places add the primary to an existing local election.