A possible path to polite politics

Wouldn't it be great to have political campaigns where all parties and all candidates discussed issues and solutions — rather than indulging in name-calling and mud-slinging?

Currently, there's a debate over the benefits/dangers of the Open Primaries Proposition 1, on our Nov. 5 ballots. I think voting yes on Proposition 1 will bring us closer to polite politics — and reduce some of the name-calling and fake information from many politicians.

“Open primary” means we would no longer have two separate primaries for Republicans and Democrats — a system that currently bars 260,000 independent Idaho voters from voting in primaries at all.

Open Primary allows all candidates — from all parties and independents — to be on one ballot, allowing all eligible registered voters to vote. You can choose a Republican for one office, a Democrat for another office, an independent for another, etc. Each voter casts one vote for each office on his/her ballot. Then the top four “vote-getters” for each office move on to the general election ballot six months later. There is no “ranked-choice” voting in the Primary: it is one person, one vote for each office.

Once politicians understand how Open Primary really works, they would probably think:

“I am now in a larger Primary race. Now I need to reach voters from a larger spectrum, without a negative campaign of constantly attacking my opponents and even members of my own party in order to 'smear' them. It would be more effective for me to talk about the positive goals and solutions I have, to talk about important issues and changes I can make, if elected.”

Wow! That's the sort of political campaign I would love to see!

Vote "yes" on Open Primaries Proposition 1 to restore peaceful politics!

JO LEN EVERHART

Bonners Ferry