PARTIES: What primaries are all about

Words mean things. We use vocabulary to clearly communicate a thought, idea or perspective. Political parties are a type of vocabulary. When we say republican or democrat, it puts a label on a set of principles, goals and strategies designed to address pressing issues.

Last I checked, the Republican and Democratic platforms are very different. Knowing a candidate’s party affiliation helps a citizen differentiate between those on the ballot. The purpose of a primary election is to narrow the choices of candidates within a party.

In Idaho, when one registers to vote, they may select a party: Constitution, Libertarian, Democratic or Republican. Those who choose Unaffiliated are not aligning with a party; therefore, they do not vote in the primary.

By the way, the correct term is unaffiliated voter not independent voter. If an unaffiliated voter comes from another state, they may have a misconception that unaffiliated means independent. Maybe they think it is unfair that they don’t get to vote in the primary. Possibly, they don’t understand the value of political parties. Party labels actually increase voter confidence because it helps the voter make decisions.

If you would like to vote in the primary but are unaffiliated, you can change that. Go to the elections office and select the political party of your choice.

And finally, election integrity is an excellent reason to keep the primary closed. It compels citizens to vote for who they really want to win. A closed primary prevents manipulation of the outcome by nefarious players. We don’t want any shenanigans here in Kootenai County, so let’s continue with a closed primary.

JENNY HOLMES

Post Falls