Definition

Noun: A crossover voter is a voter who is officially registered as a member of one political party but chooses to vote in the primary election of a different political party.

Usage

This term is used in the context of elections, particularly primary elections in the United States. It describes a specific voting behavior where an individual participates in a party's nomination process despite not being formally affiliated with that party. The rules allowing this practice vary by state.

Examples

• In an open primary state, a crossover voter registered as a Democrat might vote for a candidate in the Republican primary.
• The candidate's moderate stance attracted many crossover voters from the opposing party.
• Political analysts studied the impact of crossover voters on the outcome of the tightly contested primary.

Advanced Usage

• The concept of crossover voting is central to debates about open versus closed primary systems. Proponents argue it encourages moderation, while opponents argue it can lead to strategic "raiding," where voters try to nominate a weaker candidate for the opposing party.

Variants and Related Words

• Crossover Voting (n): The act or practice of voting in a primary election of a party other than one's registered affiliation.
• Crossover Appeal (n): The ability of a candidate or idea to attract support from voters outside their typical base or party, which may lead to crossover voting.

Synonyms

• Party Raider (n, informal): A crossover voter who votes strategically to nominate a weaker candidate in the opposing party's primary.
• Unaffiliated Voter (n): A voter not registered with any party. While related, this is a distinct category from a crossover voter, who registered with a party.

Related Phrases

• To cross over: The verb phrase from which the term is derived.
  • Many independents and some Democrats crossed over to vote in the Republican primary.

Noun

1. a voter who is registered as a member of one political party but who votes in the primary of another party