Independent voters will be able to request either a Democratic or Republican ballot for Charleston city primary on March 8. But until late last week, city voting rules for independents were anything but clear. After reading state code and checking with the state's two main political parties, City Attorney Paul Ellis said Thursday that independent voters will -- for the first time -- be able to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary. So if I want to vote as an independent I can only select one or the other major parties candidates that were preselected for me. But there are candidates from each party and some from minor parties, independents, and write-ins I could vote for. I am in a box not of my choosing.
Then there is the truly Open Primary where all candidates are on one ballot and I as a voter can decide which candidates meet my criteria to warrant my selecting them. I would then want to use Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) to allow me to select as my first selection a favorite son or daughter, vanity candidate, or write-in, but still be able to select viable candidates on my other selections. This would then result in the top two selected candidates to go to the General Election. The winner should then have been selected with all the voters taking part in the political process.
To make this really work, we need to restructure the ballot access laws to allow anyone who wants to be a candidate the opportunity to give the voters their chance to use their voice to pick candidates that appeal to their ideas. This could take the form of reducing the number of signatures needed and/or reducing any filing fee to get on the ballot.
Without these changes working together, we will not change the political status quo.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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2 comments:
Louisiana has been using the type of system you say you want, for state and local office, ever since 1975. Yet it is not one of the better-governed states, and is not a hotbed of independent energetic social movements. I am puzzled why anyone who thinks they like this system doesn't show any interest in observing how it really works. Mostly it makes incumbents even more likely to be re-elected than a normal system.
Richard Winger was a plaintiff in the lawsuit to stop open primaries in California and lost.
He also fails to point out that the Independents in Louisiana holds several seats and the State House Speaker Pro Tempore is an Independent.
Give open primaries a chance. If the candidate's positions resonate with the electorate, they will get elected. If they don't have the support of the people, they will not.
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