Exercise the right to vote on your terms

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.