Prefers a better primary system

A few weeks ago, Krist Novoselic, formerly of the band Nirvana, filed to run for Wahkiakum County clerk. He is active as a Democrat, and could have asked to appear on the ballot with the line, "prefers Democratic Party." But he was trying to make a point about Washington's new election laws. He filed as, "prefers Grange Party."

There isn't a Grange Party. The Washington State Grange is a farmers' organization, and it doesn't run bass-guitar players for political office. Our new "top two" primary, however, allowed Novoselic to choose whatever label he wanted, after the word "prefers." Last year, a candidate ran as "prefers Salmon/Yoga Party," and, to the derision of Democrats, Dino Rossi appeared on the ballot as "prefers G.O.P. Party."

"G.O.P." is not a real name. "Grange" is. Novoselic — who is master at Grays River Grange No. 124 — wanted the Grange to defend its rights. He wanted a fight, so he could make a point about a group's right to its name. But he didn't get much of a fight out of "Grange Party."

"Maybe I should have called it the Microsoft Party," he says.

Novoselic has dropped out. He filed only to raise a public question: Should candidates be able to use any party name they want?

In day-to-day life, you can't publicly label yourself with a group's name without asking them. Washington's new primary-ballot law skirts this problem by using the word "prefers." The ballot said, for example, that Gov. Chris Gregoire "prefers Democratic Party." Did it prefer her? It did, but the ballot fudged that part.

"This confuses voters," Novoselic says.

In Gregoire's case it didn't, and even Rossi's "prefers G.O.P. Party" didn't confuse that many. But the "prefers" thing has only been around a short time. Political brains have barely explored the opportunities in it.

Novoselic argues that the ballot should identify as Democrats only those candidates approved by the party, meaning actual party members. "Democrat" is their name. He is, not coincidentally, the chairman of the Wahkiakum County Democratic Central Committee.

Here's a problem. In a 36th District race, the top-two candidates were both labeled, "prefers Democratic Party." John Burbank was endorsed by the 36th District Democrats. Reuven Carlyle wasn't.

Under Novoselic's system, Carlyle would have had to appear on the ballot as an independent. Yet he is a Democrat, and since he won, he has organized with the Democrats. In his case, "prefers Democratic Party" was useful information for voters.

Sam Reed, secretary of state, said he agrees with Novoselic, partly. Reed wants to get rid of the "Salmon/Yoga" and "G.O.P. Party" nonsense by limiting labels to real ones. But he has no desire to give activists control of the names.

"I'm a moderate Republican," he says. "I have some people — right-wingers — who say I'm really a Democrat. Shouldn't I, as a citizen, be able to decide for myself what party I'm in, rather than have other people decide for me?"

What if it's Lyndon LaRouche, claiming he's a Democrat?

There are problems both ways. Maybe the answer is to ask both the candidate and the party, more information being better than less. With the party's nod, the ballot line for Sam Reed could say, "endorsed Republican." Without the party's nod it could say, "prefers Republican." That way, the voter would know something about the candidate — and also about his party.

Bruce Ramsey's column appears regularly on editorial pages of The Times. His e-mail address is bramsey@seattletimes.com