It’s going to be interesting to see what the voter turnout figures are for the Tuesday, Sept. 14 primary election.
With the state’s first foray into a strictly partisan primary, many voters are saying they plan to not participate as a show of displeasure with the party leaders whose insistence resulted in voters having to choose between Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or non-partisan ballots.
The parties put aside their differences to join forces in saying that the previous open-choice primary meant the parties weren’t necessarily in charge of their own destinies. Although both major parties had for years used the neighborhood-based caucus system to pick preferred presidential candidates, there was pressure to use a ballot-based system, one that would raise the state’s stature on the national political scene. They wanted more participation.
Well, they got the system wanted, but the so far anecdotal evidence of high voter dissatisfaction may not bring them the results they were after: If voters let emotions get in the way of common sense.
Voter turnout in the world’s greatest democracy has been falling for years as more and more let fewer and fewer exercise the very right that makes America great.
Usually, choice is good.
Except when having to choose means many will make their choice by staying on election day.
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