Opinion

Morning Poll: Which presidential primary are you planning to vote in?

Voting at Arlington Central Library on Nov. 7, 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The New Hampshire primary is today, and Virginia’s presidential primary is six weeks away.

After former president Donald Trump’s record-setting win at the Iowa caucuses, all eyes are on New Hampshire to see if his remaining major opponent, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, can make it a competitive race.

While Trump consolidates support within the party, the Never-Trump faction of the GOP is rallying around Haley. And they might also be secretly hoping to get some help from across the aisle.

Virginia is among a number of states that hold an open primary, meaning that Democrats can vote in the Republican party and vice-versa.

“Virginia is an open primary state meaning that voters do not register by political party,” notes the Arlington County elections website. “Any registered voter is eligible to vote in any primary election. If both the Democratic and Republican parties hold primaries on the same day, voters must choose which party ballot they wish to vote, per Virginia Code § 24.2-530.”

The Democratic race, meanwhile, remains moribund, with challengers to President Biden mostly polling in the single-digits. A non-competitive Democratic race may — in theory, at least — drive a few more voters over to the more dynamic GOP primary, particularly Dems dead set against another Trump presidency.

So whether you vote on Super Tuesday, March 5, or vote early — in-person early voting started Jan. 19 in Arlington and ballot drop boxes opened yesterday — this morning we’re wondering which primary are you planning on voting in?

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  • Launched in January 2010, ARLnow.com is the place for the latest news, views and things to do around Arlington, Virginia. Started by a Pentagon City resident who has spent the past several years working in local TV news, ARLnow.com seeks to distinguish itself with original, enterprising, up-to-the-minute local coverage.

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