>profoundly un-democratic principle to have to
declare a nominal allegiance prior even to voting

in theory, these primary rules are supposed to limit the voting to a winnowing of candidates within [your] party; of course, nothing ever works extrapolated from theory.... [in this case, how can they limit your free choice of party declaration -- so, for instance, republicans may cross over in the attempt to derail the most formidable democrat opponent, if there is no real contest on the republican side]