Why you must ‘stay in your lane’ in the August primary

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — County clerks say you should think of the statewide Aug. 6 primary like a political party election.

“You will get a ballot for all the races — with the exception of president — United States Senate all the way on down to precinct delegate. On one side, you’ll have a list of Republican candidates. On the other side, you’ll have a list of the Democratic candidates,” Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons explained. “Stay in your lane. If you cross over, if you like a Republican candidate for this particular office but like a Democratic candidate for a different office, you gotta pick your favorite and go with that party all the way down the ballot.”

If you cross over, Posthumus Lyons says your ballot will be spoiled and your vote won’t count.

“These are political party elections, essentially. You can think of them as nominations for the general election,” Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck said. “…The major political parties in Michigan hold their primary on that August ballot, and you can only participate in one or the other.”

Picking a side doesn’t mean you’re registered for a party, Roebuck says.

Absentee ballots are already available for the Aug. 6 primary. Early in-person voting starts later: Early voting will be available for at least nine days before Election Day.

Both clerks noted that when the general election comes in November, you’ll be free to cross the ballot.

“In the general election, you can vote however you want,” Roebuck said. “You can vote one candidate Green Party, the next office office Libertarian, the next Republican and the next Democratic in the general election in November.”

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