I just got a republican AND a democrat primary ballot in the mail.
4 years ago I left party affiliation behind. I was done. The same year the Colorado electorate voted to an open primary instead of being a caucus state. So while I declared I wanted nothing to do with either, I now get to vote for who they have as their candidate. I have more influence than Republicans or Democrats because I can choose whose primary to influence. Trump is obviously going to win the Republican primary, so it only makes sense to vote in the Democrat primary.
I think the open primary arrangement is a bad idea. Why should I, unaffiliated, have more influence that those who affiliate?
Nothing in the Constitution establishes the conept of parties. George Washington abhored the very idea of political parties and predicted they'd be the end of the republic. (He was obviously right.)
The last time I voted in a primary was 1980. Since then, I may have voted republicrat twice in the general election. Parties are evil.
@sda
I guess that's related. They aren't in the constitution, aren't part of the government. Why are the party elections even officiated by the government? If a group wants to gather like minded voters and pick a candidate to support, let them do it by their own mechanism, open out closed to non members, etc.