S.C. Democratic officials say the oath was part of the process required to get the national party's certification of their primary. They also insist it isn't meant to discourage independents from voting, since it is non-binding for future elections. Indeed, Charleston County Party Chairman Mullins McLeod Jr. told reporter Schuyler Kropf that even if suspected Republicans show up at the polls, they can take the oath and be considered "Democrats for a Day."

But the unfamiliar primary oath already has created questions, even within the party, and has the potential for confusion in a state like South Carolina that doesn't have party registration.

The fact is state law wouldn't allow the oath to be part of a regular June primary, Democrat or Republican. But presidential primaries, which are relatively new in South Carolina, aren't covered by state law. Tuesday's presidential primary will be the second one ever for South Carolina Democrats. (The first was in 1992.) When parties don't have primaries, they choose their national presidential delegates by caucuses and convention. State Republicans, who haven't had a presidential primary oath, won't be having a primary this year, since President George Bush is unchallenged.

Because there is no S.C. law governing presidential primaries, parties are free to set their own rules, subject to national party constraints. While the oath may be no stranger to Democratic Party regulars who go to caucuses and conventions, it's not something most primary voters are used to seeing. In fact, we're told the oath generated numerous questions at a local training session for Democratic poll workers.

One obvious goal is to keep hard-line Republicans from going to the Democratic polls and voting for the weakest candidate. But most party leaders concede that doesn't generally happen, certainly not in large numbers.

In states like South Carolina that have, to date, rejected party registration, party oaths send an unfortunate mixed message to the independents that both parties are trying to woo. South Carolina Democratic officials should so inform the national party.

We suspect many S.C. Democratic leaders would rather risk Republican stalwarts coming to their polls than having to deal with a party oath that could create resentment or discourage voter turnout. After all, one of the purposes of a primary, as opposed to a convention, is to more broadly test the electability of a party's candidates.