In Maryland, if you will be old enough to vote for the general election, you are allowed to register and vote in the primary. I would like to see this extended nationally for all primaries, caucuses and conventions. I will offer a very brief excursus below.
Those of my generation (I'm 60) may remember when we lowered the voting age nationally to 18 (although at least Georgia had already allowed 18 year olds to vote). During Vietnam, my generation argued that if we were going to be required to participate in a military expanded for Vietnam, if we were going to be required to potentially die and kill as a result of national policy, it was the morally correct thing to do to allow us to participate in the selection of those leaders deciding to take us into that war. As a result the 26th Amendment was ratified in 1971.
But some 18 year olds do not have a full right to vote because at the general election they must vote for a candidate in whose selection they were not allowed to participate. In some constituencies the primary election is the real election. Think of the recent mayoral election in Washington DC. Adrian Fenty won the primary, and in the general won 90% of the votes. The only real contest, therefore, the only place where meaningful franchise was exercised, was the primary. This would be equally true in a heavily Republican constituency such as some of the more rural parts of the South and West. Also, if one cannot vote in a primary one does get the fullness of franchise, one cannot participate in the entire range of exerising choice about leadership.
I am not arguing for all that major of a change. There are a few states which allow ballot initiatives on primary ballots, and may hold replacement elections for Congress or other offices at the time of the primary election. For these it might not be possible to extend the franchise as I want, unless there were a separate ballot excluding this decisions (something far easier to accomplish with paper or optical scan ballots, although it would not be that hard to program an electronic voting machine to allow a different set of choice to come up depending on the card inserting to allow operations, but let's not go there).
I do not necessarily propose attempting to do this by Federal Constitutional amendment. I would think there are better paths, including initiatives, state constitutional amendments, or if necessary state legislation. I like either of the first routes because it could be a mechanism to turn out younger voters in the election on which ballot such an initiative or amendment appeared. And I think that youg voters are more likely toward the progressive side of issues if such issues are properly framed. That could turn some close elections in that cycle, and would increase the likelihood of more progressive candidates being selected in the primary process. Remember, one reason younger voters often don't participate is because they do not think issues that matter to them are being addressed.
I offer this idea for your consideration. I will be interested in any responses people might have. I apologize that I will not be able to engage in extended conversation.
Peace.
Okay, will save more for tomorrow. Great Diary Ken.
Furthermore, there are some people who will begin reading blogs for the plain and simple fact that one of their friends is a blogger (this might work for all age groups, but I've particular noticed among college students). If a person begins frequently reading their friend's political blog, then there is a good chance they will at least take the time to go out and vote.