Press opinion: Leaving voters out in the cold

Venerable former state Rep. Marge Chadderdon called the Press on Monday, worried because even longtime Republicans she knows are flat-out flummoxed by new election rules and dates.

Unfortunately, that’s no accident.

If you look at what’s happening with a kind heart and a fondness for rainbows, the state Republican Party is simply taking steps to limit the number of non-Republicans who vote in GOP primary elections. The rosy view is that primaries are for diehard party members only, an exclusive club whose rights and responsibilities include forwarding the very best Republican candidates to general elections.

But if you look at what’s happening and see dark clouds overhead and hear air-raid sirens in the distance, the state Republican Party is working feverishly to limit voter participation and forward only the most conservative Republican candidates. They know that roughly half of Idaho’s voters are unaffiliated and therefore might lean a little more toward moderate candidates, so they’d like to keep those folks at home. No matter what the intended consequences, closing the Republican primary to only those voters who register Republican has shown decreasing participation in Kootenai County. You’ll read more about that on Friday.

What Marge and other concerned voters are complaining about goes beyond the regular May primary. The voting landscape has become more cluttered and confusing because of changes instigated by the state Republican Party for a separate presidential primary.

Last time around in 2012, Idaho Republicans floundered in a meaningless, massively disorganized attempt at a presidential caucus. This time, at taxpayer expense estimated at $2 million, they’re conducting a closed presidential primary — for registered Republicans only — on March 8. Why? Because party officials wanted to make the rest of the country believe that Idaho plays a significant role in the selection of a Republican presidential candidate. That’s why the Republican presidential primary is now more than two months before the regular state primary election.

Muddying the waters even more, on Monday the state proposed a legislative change that would give voters even less time to change their party affiliation. No matter the intent, if that change is approved the result is likely to be even lower participation in both the presidential primary and the regular May 17 primary elections.

Idaho’s election rules and calendars are starting to look like tax codes, and that’s not good for democracy. What is good for democracy is sharing information that will help citizens become better informed and thus encourage them to participate in elections. To that end, The Press will kick off a series of op-ed pieces this Friday intended to answer key voter questions, address specific issues and voting records, and advocate for stronger voter turnout. Up first, an explanation of the Republican primary and the Democratic caucus.