VOTE – SEPTEMBER 14, 2004 !!!!!
The Rosemere Neighborhood Association encourages all citizens to vote this September 14, 2004. You may have noticed the primary ballot is different this year. If you have any questions about it, please visit the Clark County Elections website at www.clark.wa.gov/elections or call them at 360-397-2345.
For further explanation of the changes in this year’s primary see the following editorials by Greg Kimsey, Clark County Auditor, and Sam Reed, Secretary of State for the State of Washington.
EDITORIAL by Greg Kimsey, Clark County Auditor
If you live in Clark County you should have received a Local Voters’ Pamphlet and if you are a permanent absentee voter, your ballot for this year’s Primary. If you haven’t received your mail ballot by Friday, September 3rd please call Clark County’s Elections Department at 360-397-2345.
September 14th, the day of our Primary, is rapidly approaching. However there are still many voters who are going to be surprised to receive four ballots and instructed to select and vote only one of these.
The much beloved “Blanket Primary” was challenged by the political parties and determined to be unconstitutional by the courts. The Legislature adopted a new primary law this year that was partially vetoed by Governor Locke, a move the state Supreme Court upheld.
I have spoken to many citizens who are so upset over the loss of the Blanket Primary and the requirements of the new Primary that they are considering not voting. The only effect of not voting is to give more power to the people who do vote.
The political parties sued to get rid of the Blanket Primary in order to increase their influence in the election process. If voters who are not strongly affiliated with a political party choose not to vote the result is that the determination of which candidates move forward to the General Election is made by people who do consider themselves members of a political party.
Reduced turnout means that the political parties have greater influence in the outcome, increased turnout dilutes the parties’ influence.
When replacements for the Blanket Primary were debated by the legislature one of the concerns expressed was that “extremist” candidates would be more likely to be elected. Candidates with moderate views tend to appeal to those voters who say “I’m independent, I vote for the candidate, not the party.” These are the voters who are most upset with the requirements of our new Primary. If these “moderate/independent” voters don’t vote, then voters with views at the ends of the political spectrum will decide which candidates appear on the General Election ballot.
If you don’t vote in the Primary you lose the opportunity to vote for candidates for non-partisan offices and to express your support or opposition on any local measures that you may be entitled to vote on.
You are not required to vote for each position or issue. We will count every vote you cast as long as you only vote a single ballot. I encourage you to select and vote the ballot that has the races and/or issues that are most important to you.
For the General Election voters will still be given one ballot and may vote for the candidate of their choice without respect to that candidate’s political party affiliation. It is only the Primary that has changed.
In order to ensure that your vote is counted you will want to:
-Pick a party
-Pick a ballot
-Don’t forget the non-partisan offices and issue
Voters will be provided four ballots for the Primary, (Democratic, Libertarian, Republican, and Non-Partisan) and instructed to select and mark their choices on only one of these ballots. Candidates for non-partisan offices and local measures are also included on the political party ballots. If more than one ballot is cast then some or all of the votes on those ballots may not be counted.
No record will be kept of which ballot is selected to vote.
The purpose of the Primary is to narrow the field of candidates down to one candidate from each political party who then moves forward to the General Election. With this new Primary, it remains as important as ever to vote in both the Primary and the General Election.
Information about the primary can also be found on our web site www.clark.wa.gov/elections or by calling the Elections Department at 360-397-2345.
If you don’t like this new Primary I encourage you to consider joining me in voting “yes” for Initiative 872 in November. If I-872 passes voters will once again be able to vote in the Primary for the candidate of their choice without respect to the candidate’s political party affiliation.
Whatever your opinion is of our new primary system, the ability to help determine which candidates appear on the General Election ballot, as well as the opportunity to express your support or opposition to local measures is so precious that I hope you will choose to participate in our system of self governance by casting a ballot on September 14.
Greg Kimsey is the Clark County auditor. Questions, comments or concerns can be directed to him at 360-397-2078 or via e-mail: greg.kimsey@clark.wa.gov
Here is another article regarding Washington’s new primary system by Sam Reed, Washington Secretary of State.
