AFFILIATION: The deception game

If party affiliation doesn’t really mean anything anymore, why have it?

Idaho is predominantly a Republican registered voter state, and as such typically most elected officials run as Republican to get the votes.

However, most people you talk to align more with Libertarian values over any other party in the state. They just know that everyone else calls themselves Republican, so if they want votes they have to run as Republican, furthering the deception the Republican Party has on the state electors.

To complicate matters even more, Republicans fear external influence into their primaries, so they closed their primaries to only registered Republicans. (Like as if the other parties don’t have any candidates to vote for.)

So now, those who want to have a say in the election, change their affiliation before the primaries, vote for their candidate, and then change it back. Which of course completely defeats the purpose of a closed primary.

So here we are, now with a bunch of people lying about their party affiliation to be eligible for the maximum voters? While at the same time, a bunch of people lying about their party affiliation to affect the outcome of the elections.

I urge everyone to stop the cycle of deception. To this end I think it would be in the best interest to maintain an honest and open election if we get rid of the primaries altogether. Let us all vote for the best candidate, and let their party affiliation truly reflect their values.

W. SCOTT HOWARD

Post Falls