OLYMPIA Its pretty easy to tell when ballots for Washingtons presidential primary arrive in the mail. About an hour later, the first phone calls and emails arrive from voters complaining about having to reveal their party affiliation.

The beauty of the states system of registering to vote without listing a party is that people can mark their state and local primary ballot for anyone they want. A Republican for the U.S. Senate, a Democrat for the U.S. House, a Libertarian for one legislative seat and a Constitutionalist for the other. Sort of a Golden Corral buffet of candidates, although theres no seconds for any particular office.

The downside of that system is that longtime Washington voters dont realize its not that way in most other states. In many, you register for a party when signing up to vote, and may be limited to that partys ballot in a primary election. Or you might be able to ask for the other partys ballot at the polling station, but you cant get both and skip back and forth.

Washington went through a long court battle with the states Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties over its primary system. When its Blanket Primary was ruled unconstitutional, it came up with the Top Two Primary, where party affiliation is technically a mere preference and the two candidates with the most votes move on to the general, even if that means its two Democrats or two Republicans facing off in November.

The Top Two might serve as an object lesson of being careful what you complain about, because you can always wind up with something you like less. Under the old Blanket Primary, if the Republicans fielded a candidate in the bluest of districts, or Democrats found someone in a ruby red one, they still made it to the general and a chance for lightning to strike. With the Top Two, there are districts where it doesnt make sense for one party to even try, and they sometimes dont.

Free and open voting in most primaries may be the reason that some Washington voters went ballistic when their presidential primary ballot arrived last week. Voicemails and emails from some seemed just a half-step from declaring I could have a ballot envelope with their party affiliation checked when I pry it from their cold, dead hands.

Personally, I dont care how you vote in this or any election. I generally hope you do vote, because otherwise why am I writing so much about elections? But if you dont want to vote for any reason, I can respect that.

I wont be voting in the presidential primary because the newspaper has a policy that its reporters not advocate for or against political issues or participate in political party activities. Voting in the presidential primary is a party activity something that often gets ignored in the overheated cable news coverage that treat presidential primaries pretty much the same as the general election.

Democrats are trying to decide who their nominee should be. In general, a strong supporter of, say, Bernie Sanders only cares what independents think if they are going to vote for Sanders. If theyre going to vote for someone else, he or she would likely say, What do you know? and just as soon they toss their ballots in the trash. Supporters of all other candidates likely take similar views.

Republicans have already decided, so President Donald Trump is the only name on their ballot in Washington and many other states. Its not really a primary as much as an affirmation.

Will the party affiliation boxes keep some Republicans from marking a Democratic ballot for the candidate they think will be the weakest against Trump? Probably not, and the likelihood that Democrats will even be able to spot them in the lists is pretty far-fetched unless its an extremely well-known Republican like Dan Evans or Slade Gorton.

Before you decide that you dont want to check that box, however, lets review some of the basics.

Checking the Democrat or Republican box in the presidential primary doesnt mean you will only be able to vote for that partys candidates in the state primary in August. That one remains the Top Two primary, with a single ballot that is almost certain to have some choices of candidates from parties youve never heard from.

Likewise, checking the Democrat or Republican box in the presidential primary does not mean you must vote for that partys presidential candidate in November. Its not a contract, its a chance to express an opinion.

If youre worried about someone seeing the envelope with your name and the party box you checked, and think for some reason that the postal carrier cares or even has time to check put your ballot in a drop box where it will mix with dozens or even hundreds of other ballots and provide you with some extra privacy.

Not checking the box but sending in your ballot means the local elections office will think you just forgot. The staff will likely contact you to correct that oversight. You could change your mind at that point. If not, eventually your ballot isnt going to be counted.

Some of the Democratic candidates on the ballot arent running anymore, because the ballot was printed before they dropped out, and some might drop out after Tuesdays primaries in 14 states. You can still vote for them if you want.

Like all other elections, no one will know whose name you mark, although if you check the Republican box its a pretty sure bet youre voting for Trump because hes the only option. You could write in a name, but those wont be tallied because the state GOP isnt listing any write-in options.

If you dont like checking the party box, thats within your rights. But dont call the local elections office to complain about having to do it. Dont write a nasty note on the envelope or on the ballot, because they dont make the rules.

You can call your state legislators and lobby for an affiliated option in 2024, but thats really only a half measure. Washington has had that in some presidential primaries; the state counted those votes separately, and they werent used for anything connected to selecting the people who would be running for president in November.

If you want to have a say in whos running in November, youll have to check the box.

Read more:

Spin Control: Yes, you have to check a party box. No, that shouldn't stop you from voting - The Spokesman-Review