Gov. Palin's Husband And Son Are Independents

UPDATE: Comment #9 at the Ballot Access News link below notes that Alaska allows voters not wanting to affiliate with a party to register as "undeclared" or "nonpartisan" (I believe New Jersey is the only other state that has those two registration choices for independents). Both Todd Palin and his son Trac are registered as "undeclared." Since first registering in 1989, Todd has never affiliated with a party; Trac has not yet cast a vote. Undeclared and nonpartisan voters have their choice of either primary, as do registered Republicans.

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Alaska is one of the 29 states that registers voters by party. Gov. Sarah Palin, the prospective Republican vice-presidential nominee, is, of course, a registered Republican. According to Ballot Access News, however, Gov. Palin's husband and 19-year-old son-- who is now in the U. S. Army-- are registered independents.

For offices other than president, Alaska has two ballots on primary day: the Republican ballot and the Democratic/Alaskan Independence/Libertarian ballot. Independents are invited to vote in the Republican primary, while ANY voter may participate in the Democratic/minor party primary. Thus, if the governor's husband and son were registered Republicans, they would still have their choice of either primary ballot.

Not surprisingly, some 60 percent of Alaska's registered voters are not affiliated with any party.

It would be interesting to know whether Gov. Palin's husband and son have ever voted in the Democratic/minor party primary.