Readers respond to last week’s Feedback Friday topic, which was:
Voter Suppression & Primary Election Results
Last Tuesday, many-but-not-all Marylanders voted in the state’s primary election, choosing their candidates for the Republican and Democrat parties. Dan Cox earned the Republican nomination, while Wes Moore holds a lead in the yet-to-be-called tighter race for the Democratic nod. Two candidates will square off in the November 8th Gubernatorial General Election and Maryland will have a new governor regardless of who wins, with Gov. Larry Hogan leaving office after his eight full years.
But not all registered voters got their say in this past Tuesday’s election. Indeed, all voters registered as “unaffiliated” or independent are not allowed, under state law, to vote in the primary elections. Maryland is one of 14 states that has a “closed primary.” In the other 36 states, any eligible voter, including independents, can vote in partisan primaries in some fashion. If you’re interested in numbers, in Anne Arundel County, alone, there are 104,000 registered but independent voters that have no voice in the primary elections. Statewide, almost 900,000.
This is large-scale voter suppression. A simple solution—an independent voter could choose which ballot (Republican or Democrat) they feel most compelled to complete. Give the people their voice back. Of course, any unaffiliated voter could also switch to an affiliated party by updating their voter registration with the state—and they’d be wise to do so, until the legislature wises up.
What are your thoughts on Maryland’s unaffiliated voters being suppressed from primary elections? What’s your impression of the chosen gubernatorial candidates and the upcoming November election?
Here’s what you said:
I have lived in Maryland for over 30 years, but I cannot vote in a primary. Often the primaries determine the likely winner and not the general election. In California, I could vote and help determine who would be in the general election.
I am not a Democrat. I am not a Republican. I AM AN AMERICAN- but my vote often doesn't count in Maryland.
Jon Mark Hirshon, Annapolis
I agree that Maryland's primaries should be open to all voters; that one shouldn't have to declare party affiliation in order to cast a vote. Given the historical low turnout on 'off-year' elections, this is critical that everyone has access to the ballot box. It is bad enough that every decade committees have the right to decide districts without input from "we the people" but that all residents have to sign with one party or the other to vote in primaries is too much. Way past time to change!
Patricia Wooten, Odenton
Don't we spend too much time with feedback and even social media. And so much of a request for open ended feedback is inherently going to be negative. Read any group of letters to the editor of most media and the prevalence will be critical, negative or downright defamatory about someone or something or some issue. There are countless good people out there but they are generally too busy with their jobs, families or responsibilities to write positive letters to the editor unless they are countering a slew of negative ones on a given subject. Given a free rein, in this day and age requested free rein feedback frequently has some form of political outrage or criticism. Then, to make matters worse, if on social or other media we have doom scrolling the negative feedback. So if you feel compelled to ask for Friday feedback why not suggest a subject that has a positive or inspirational or just plain upbeat spin, No politics allowed. No social injustices allowed. We actually have lots to be thankful for even in these difficult, partisan times. If there is deafening silence on requests for positive feedback so be it. Must mean people are just doing good not offering feedback about it. But I think the world would welcome someone, from the media particularly, asking for something that might make us feel good, not the venting that your throw in the kitchen sink feedback request may predictably encourage.
Chuck Walsh, Annapolis
I think it is good that the primaries allow the political party to choose their own candidate. Otherwise voters could vote for a candidate they think will lose against their favored candidate in the opposing party. This has been happening in states that have open primaries. What is really needed is election integrity. No more mail in ballots and no more drop boxes. Voters should vote in person and show ID. The future of our country is at stake.
Julia Jones, Edgewater
Independent voters should be able to decide in which party they wish to vote.The law should be changed to allow independent voters to vote in the primary.
Elizabeth Knupp, Davidsonville
Thank you for highlighting this shortcoming in Maryland law. All legal citizens should be permitted to have their voice heard. The parties probably don't like this but especially now when on the national and state levels candidates continue to be mediocre at best, citizens should not be hindered by party affiliation or lack thereof to cast their vote.
John Sommer, Annapolis
On the question of whether voters who are neither registered with the Democrat nor Republican parties should vote in a primary, I believe it might be a very simple answer. If you have no affiliation to the Primary race that is being run, then you don't have a proverbial dog in the fight.
Francesca Rendell
Adding insult to injury, we unaffiliated voters are paying for the primary elections with our tax money. Why should our tax money be spent to support two organizations that are not government based, just to be excluded when the votes are taken?
Sadly, many people do not feel like their votes really count. Clearly, that is not true. But what is true is that the political parties and politicians do not value the input of the independent voters in selecting candidates through the primary process. They feel that they have an "ownership interest" in their respective parties, and that only registered voters in those parties should have a voice. I am pretty sure that the U.S. Constitution and the Maryland Constitution do not give the two parties such power.
It's time we, the taxpayers AND voters of Maryland assert the rights of everyone, including unaffiliated voters, to participate in the primary process. Do do otherwise is, as stated, VOTER SUPPRESSION!
Michael Davis, Annapolis
Agreed! And that is precisely why I'm registered as a Republican. If I want sensible, moderate candidates on the Republican ballot I have to do my part and vote for them in the primary.
Catherine Budd, Odenton
I believe that independent and unaffiliated Marylanders should be allowed to vote in the primary election.
Karen DeGraffenreid, Annapolis
I would have no problem with unaffiliated voters choosing the ballot they would prefer in the primaries.
Melvin Kelly, Severn
If you chose to be an independent voter in Maryland you should know that you cannot vote in the primary. I really don't see how people are being suppressed in voting, Its not the state's job to get you to a voting place. Now they even have mail in votes that are super easy. We have laws that say only American citizens can vote, but they want to change that, Why?? It has worked for many years up until recently why change now? Why should people from another country come here not a citizen and make changes.
Edward Stratton, Severn
Calling it voter suppression is a big reach. As a member of the Republican party, I do not want Democrats having any say in who represents my party for a particular office. I may not be able to stop Democrats from advertising in support of some unelectable, nut job in my party but I sure a heck don't want them voting to pick the worst possible candidate to represent me in the upcoming election. I am very much against open primaries. In the general election you can vote for whoever you want you just can vote for who your candidate runs against.
Bill Donovan, Annapolis
I don' think it's fair at all that Independents like myself cannot vote in the primary elections. In fact I got so exasperated I changed my affiliation so I can vote in all elections from now on. What exactly is the rationale for not allowing the unaffiliated to vote in the primaries? Does anyone know?
Debra Webster, Delmar
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