Former State Representative and Assistant House Majority Leader Michael Wagner has a column at South Dakota Searchlight noting why he believes that the Open Primaries measure being proposed as Amendment H should be passed.
Included in his reasoning is one of the points I’m in agreement with – that if an election is paid for by all taxpayers, then all taxpayers should be able to participate:
People, not political parties, should control our elections
Political parties do not appear in the U.S. Constitution. They are not part of our government or our democracy. Political parties are special interest groups – just like a labor union, a political action committee, or a professional association. Forcing voters to join a political party in order to vote in an election is more like Russia or China than a democracy. We are a “right to work” state – we don’t have to join a union to work. We should be a “right to vote” state – we shouldn’t have to join a political party to vote. Amendment H allows everyone to vote for any candidate in the primary election regardless of political affiliation. Political party status will not control if you can vote or for whom you can vote.
Tax dollars should not be used for partisan politics
When a political party endorses one person in an election or chooses delegates for its convention, that is political business. Just like a labor union, the chamber of commerce, or private corporations electing their leadership. Tax dollars should not be used to do political work. In South Dakota, the tax-funded primary election is being used by political parties to conduct private business. Amendment H guarantees that all voters will be able to participate equally in our taxpayer-funded primary. No special status for some voters because of their political registration. Political parties can still endorse candidates, campaign, and select convention delegates. But, they’ll have to do it with their own money – not with tax dollars.
Never heard of him.
Amendment H makes so much sense. If you resist making our elections fair and open, perhaps at some level you recognize that your candidate or philosophy is not the best. Perhaps you feel the system must be rigged in your favor for you to get your way. Perhaps you need to take a remedial course in Civics.
Great points.
Excellent points throughout. Bravo and thanks for speaking out!!
Another option is, political parties can opt-out of the primary system, and simply choose their candidates at a convention.
Final nail in both parties.