Open primaries initiative
As a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps, I feel that I have more than earned the right to vote. But I am an Independent and, as a result, denied the right to vote in Idaho’s closed primary elections.
There are 160,000 veterans in Idaho. Many are Independents. A large segment of our state’s voting population has no voice in our primaries.
What can solve this? Open primaries, where all registered voters get to vote in one primary for candidates of any party affiliation. Democrats, Republicans … the party wouldn’t matter.
We voters (yes, Independents included) would get to choose the best candidates regardless of party. There is a ballot initiative underway in Idaho to allow voters to approve open primaries. The initiative has momentum. Sound reasonable?
Not to Dorothy Moon and her clique that controls Idaho’s Republican Party. They are aiming to drive legislation in the current Legislature that would either eliminate the initiative process (which is in our state Constitution) or make it significantly more difficult for the voters to pass one. We cannot let this happen.
Call your state representatives and senator and tell them to keep Moon away from our right to an initiative process.
John K. French
Ketchum
