The right to vote is non-partisan

Before we vote, we need to affirm our non-partisan right to vote. The Open Primary Initiative makes that right easier to exercise.  

The closed primary system begun in 2012 by the Republican-dominated state legislature effectively closed primary voting to many non-affiliated and Democrat citizens who were frustrated by the Republican game-playing.  

Some of us have changed our affiliations to Republican (only for the primary) so we could support Republican candidates we felt were responsible thinkers and effective legislators. But we couldn’t cross over to vote for Democratic candidates we also believed would be effective. That diminished our right to vote. 

The right to vote really is a non-partisan concept. How we vote may be partisan. But the Republican legislature shouldn’t have control over what my partisan vote will be.

Now, with the Open Primary Initiative before us, we have a chance to expand our non-partisan “right to vote” during the primary election for the partisan candidate we believe will represent us best. Vote YES for Proposition 1.

PAUL GRAVES

Sandpoint