Voter registration in many large states is by party. I have never liked this method. It seems so un-democratic. It seems rigid beyond need. Yet it is the way of our Republic. Register for the party of your choice and be true to your school. Once a Brand, always a Brand. This makes it difficult to vote for people, instead, putting the emphasis on party. Of course this means that the party is able to exercise power they wouldn’t otherwise have. To solve the personal matter of easy crossing of party line, I have for years registered for the “other” party. I call this being an “outrigger.” If you would like to participate in both sides of an election, and you feel confident that one party will present an acceptable candidate without your primary vote, then register in the other party. By becoming an outrigger, you can stabilize your preference because you have made an improved primary choice. Others may use this tactic as a spoiler, but I doubt they will. Most people aren’t motivated enough to change TV channels, that’s why the remote took control. The parties have long ago taken over democracy, the outriggers are just putting themselves into the power socket.