This is why I love this site..Thanks guys, that is a very good question that I didn't know the answer to. Going to quiz other instructors tomorrow, bet they didn't know either!

Answer: Whatever the dispatcher says.

Remember:

"(b) The pilot in command and the aircraft dispatcher are jointly responsible for the preflight planning, delay, and dispatch release of a flight in compliance with this chapter and operations specifications."

You may be willing to hand your certificate over to a 10 dollar an hour wonder but I'll check what they put on the release. Or you could just fly supplemental and always have an alternate.

Of course, none of this applies to the OP's question.

Yes, you do! An alternate is required in your flight plan UNLESS an instrument approach is published AND the required weather minima are met. However there is never any requirement to actually fly to the filed alternate, even in solid IMC, you can always choose another field if one is available.