Maine Greens to allow independents to vote in its primary

Maine Public Broadcasting - Up until now, the Maine Green Independent Party has followed the practice of the state's two major parties by allowing only enrolled members to vote in their primaries. But at its state convention last weekend, the Greens decided to welcome all unenrolled Maine voters to help decide nominees in gubernatorial and legislative contests.

Maine's Greens are sending a simple message to all of the state's unenrolled - or independent - voters: It's our party and you can take part without having to join.

That's something that Green Party Co-chair Gil Harris says should be attractive to voters who do not identify with a political party - and they are the largest voter segment in the state. "There's a growing number of people who have alienated themselves from both of the Maine corporate parties."

The change will not extend to the Greens's presidential selection process, which is conducted through a caucus