Why Can Independents Vote in Primary Elections?
Primary elections and caucuses are held in the United States before general elections to narrow a field of candidates and to select a candidates for nomination at party conventions. In some states, independent voters who are unaffiliated with any political party may vote in a primary, while other states do not allow them to vote. Many independent voters say they should have the same rights as other voters, but party officials argue that unaffiliated voters will diminish their party’s effectiveness in the primary and in the general election.
