Thursday 13 July 2017

First time voter chronicles: Party primaries explained

...well kinda.

Hey guys, third day going strong on this series. It is no glide through  but hey nothing ever comes easy.

This is not the most exciting article yet. It's purpose , though is to answer myself and future first time voters on what the whole party primaries fiasco was, except from one Kenyan clueless youth to you. My L, is your W.

Okay so let's get to it. So you know how in the US General election it is mainly a race between Republicans and Democrats. Each party has to have their holder of the fort, their go to guy (or girl), their rep if you may. A couple of people within the party reckon they got the goods and now it's up to the members to put their support behind those who they feel tick every box in their list of requirements. Remember Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton? The Bern wasn't scalding enough and so the new IT girl on the block took it all the way home.

So that whole process there is a primary.

Sounds clean, sharp, straight forward. So what was the big deal? You think everything is big in Texas you clearly haven't been around these parts.

Blood, sweat and tears was the order of that period in time; crying on national t.v, unrest in some places and the usual busfull of noisemakers all in the name of campaigns.

Thanks to a bunch of disputed results some people who  lost under questionable circumstances and decided that the show must go on, understandably signed up to be independent candidates. Code for, "I don't need you or your political party". While others were plain sore losers and have since decided to also ride solo and give this independent candidacy a shot.

Let me be the first to put my pedestrian opinion out there, pedestrian because I am by no means the next Mutahi Ngunyi, but if you lost fair and square, there's a high chance that if even your own party members don't like you as much as the other guy, sis, be humble and just sit down. The general public at the ballot may just rub the salt deeper into your already stinging wound. Again, Hillary anyone?

So there you have it, party primaries explained.Oh yeah and a little side note. I was confused as to whether I was expected to vote or not, if you are a registered party member then that was your cue. Otherwise, which was my case, just sit back and watch what happens, happen, unless there is something else I should be doing which if you've got the tea let me know in the comments down below. This whole process is a party affair, the only role IEBC plays is setting deadlines for parties to present their respective candidates. Everything else is an in-house affair.

Have a good one!   

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