Originally published Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Editorial
Exercise the right to vote on your terms
Washington's new top two primary returns control to voters.
Every election day is momentous, but especially so today, here in Washington state. As voters make their choices, they will be doing it on their own hard-won terms, without the prying manipulations of the state's political parties.
Finally, voters have wrested back control of their own primary. It took years of litigation and a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court, but Washington's citizens will be voting today in the state's first-ever top-two primary. The top two vote-getters in each race will advance to the general election, no matter what their party preference is.
Pause now for a moment of silence in remembrance of the state's defunct blanket primary, which served Washington's voters well for almost 70 years.
It was the parties' seething disgruntlement with the blanket primary that sent our state's primary into roiling water the past few years. The blanket primary was a beautiful thing, borne out of the state's populist traditions. Voters could vote on the best candidate in each race — a Democrat here, a Republican there, a Libertarian over there. Then the most vote-getters in each party would advance to the general election.
The state Democratic, Republican and Libertarian parties deep-sixed the blanket primary by getting federal courts to rule it unconstitutional, saying it violated their rights to pick their own standard-bearers. So voters had to start picking a party ballot.
Most voters were ticked and, in 2004, handily approved Initiative 872 to take back the primary. Sponsored by the Washington State Grange, I-872 established the top-two primary, which made our primary a qualifying primary — rather than a party-nominating event. Candidates, if they choose, may state their party preference as information for voters, but it does not denote a party imprimatur.
Naturally, the parties had another litigious fit, prevailing at U.S. District Court and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Frustrated voters continued to confine their choices to one party.
Until this year. In a stunning 7-2 smackdown of the political parties, the nation's highest court gave Washington voters the primary they wanted.
It is not the good old blankie, but a reasonable replacement, representing our state's populist tradition and independent bent. It is also just what the parties deserve for messing with a good thing: less control.
So, congratulations, Washington voters. You are in the primary driver's seat.
Oh, and don't forget to take advantage today.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
NEW - 12:45 AM
Leonard Pitts Jr. / Syndicated columnist: The peril of lower standards in the 'new journalism'
George Will / Syndicated columnist: Huckabee's detour from reason in Obama theory
Lance Dickie / Seattle Times editorial columnist: Empower health care reform close to home
Rewind | Seattle Times Editorial Board interviews school officials
Leonard Pitts Jr. / Syndicated columnist: When punishment is a crime

nwautos
Turismo upgrade "Gran Turismo 5: XL Edition" for PlayStation 3 has features such as new car-tuning settings, new NASCAR vehicles, better replay video...
Post a comment
- Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Washington men walloped by Oregon, 82-57
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
510 - AP Source: Obama to change birth control rule
421 - Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
420 - Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details
394 - Rough road again
109 - A few late-night notes
98 - USA Today further spells out how Mariners, handful of clubs next in line for huge cash windfall
76 - Marijuana legalization initiative set to go on Nov. ballot
76 - UW throttled at Oregon
68 - New TV deals won't guarantee everlasting success; that part will still take work by Mariners and others
67
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest
- Bellevue College adds a third bachelor's degree program
- State's share of mortgage settlement: $648 million
- Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review







