ACHTUNG: This is not a fair and balanced story. It is an editorial by the editor.
“In one-party system, you have one party. In two-party system, you have two parties. In multi-party system, you have more than two parties.” — Dr. Sunjook Junn, GVSU policial science professor
Memo to all voters in the upcoming primary election — Please do not spoil your ballots by voting for candidates in more than one party. You must choose, Grasshopper, to vote all in all Democratic races, all Republican races or all Libertarian contests. That is all.
Once you cross over to the other side, say, from Republican to Democrat on the same ballot, you will have made all of your voting worthless. Your ballot will be discarded as a result and you will have wasted your time and effort.
The time to split your ticket will come in the Nov. 6 general election, if you’ve a mind to. But on Aug. 7 — you can’t do that!
Many have protested the prohibition of voting on a list for more than one party in a primary for many years, but the rules still insist you must choose candidates from a single party. You will be choosing who should get that party’s nomination to appear on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.
So if you start your ballot by voting in the Republican primary for governor, deciding among Bill Schuette, Brian Calley or Patrick Colbeck, you cannot switch to the Democratic race for U.S. Congress. Such a move is verboten. You must continue making all your choices on the Republicans’ list of candidates.
To be sure, there are other states that have open primaries, or even “jungle” primaries, but Michigan is not one of them.
One of biggest reasons for not permitting ticket splitting is to cut down on the chicanery of say, a Democratic voter helping elect whom he or she believes is the weakest among the Republicans and easiest to defeat in November. Yes, that mischief can still occur, but those who engage in it then must select among Republicans on the remainder of the ballot.
And while this discussion continues, don’t forget there are important local millage questions on the primary ballot that deserve a “yes” or a “no.” Perhaps the most visible question is about the proposed air strip in Leighton Township.
I urge all eligible voters most sincerely to cast their ballot Aug. 7, and to do so legally. In most cases in West Michigan, the Republican primary winner will be the winner in November as well.
And if you haven’t already, register to vote with your local clerk. Just remember that voting is just about the only power we common everyday working stiffs have in this country, whether we call it a democracy or a republic.
If you go to your precinct to vote and accidentally cross over, the tabulator will spit your ballot back out. You will be given the opportunity to discard this ballot and fill out another. Unfortunately, for those who vote absentee, you won’t be given a second chance.
Very good to know, thank you.