Confused Voting Systems

I've got my "Proud To Vote" sticker on my shirt. It should read "Proud I Could Figure Out The Primary Ballot".


You see, in Illinois, we not only have a closed primary, but we have a confusing one. In the presidential race you not only vote for the primary candidate of your choosing, but you vote separately for the delegates to the national convention. So, on my ballot I voted for Fred Thompson (I know he's out of the race, I still like him) and then voted for two his delegates, with the third delegate vote going to McCain.

I haven't quite figured out why we need to vote separately on the candidate and the delegates, however, it is nice to be able to split your vote in that manner. In my case I could say "Fred was my guy", and at the same time give a delegate vote to the guy I'll settle for since Fred and Rudy dropped out.

Some I've talked to have used to to express a preference for a candidate, but to send a reminder that somone elses positions might make more sense to them on some platform issues. Others I know vote opposite of how I did, for the candidate that's still in the race, but for the delegates of the one who dropped.

Anyway enough rambling, I did my civic duty, and I hope the folks in all those others states holding primaries do theirs. If the number of voters at our polling place before 7am is any indication Illinois should be having a great turnout.