Thanks to Ballot Access news for this post.
A straight ticket device lets voters cast a vote fr all the nominees of one party with a single mark on the ballot. Voters who use this option usually do not read the entire ballot, just the top party labels and the box to make straight ticket.
Straight ticket voting is harmful to minor party and independent candidates.
Election officials dislike the straight ticket device because it causes some voters to fail to vote on ballot measures and non-partisan races.
On June 21 at 4am, the Rhode Island legislature passed HB8072, to repel the straight ticket device. Six minutes later, it adjoined for the year.
Rhode Island is the ninth state to repeal the straight ticket device in the last fifty years. The other states are:
1. Delaware - 1965
2. Georgia - 1993
3. Illinois - 1997
4. South Dakota - 1997
5. Missouri - 2005
6. New Hampshire - 2007
7. New Mexico - 2011
8. North Carolina - 2013
States that still use a straight ticket device:
1. Alabama
2. Indiana
3. Iowa
4. Kentucky
5. Michigan
6. Oklahoma
7. Pennsylvania
8. South Carolina
9. Texas
10. Utah
11. West Virginia
If you live in one of these states, it is time to work on repealing the straight ticket device.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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