Idaho's overreach behind desire for voter reform

Why are so many Idahoans in favor of open primaries and instant runoff (ranked choice) voting? The desire for voter reform in Idaho is due to our state government's overreach.

Until recently, we have had a western state “do no harm, live and let live” tradition. Now we find ourselves saddled with culture war laws disastrously curtailing women’s reproductive rights, regulating professional librarians’ judgment, limiting LGBTQ residents’ choices, and the list goes on. 

The new 2025 state legislators offered to us by the primary election have an agenda that includes yet again trying to divert meager state education funding to private and religious schooling. The state allocates the least per capita funding among the states and has an on-time high school graduation rate far below the state’s own target. In a recent local forum, a local political candidate said he knows Idaho voters, and we are Trump populists. No, not so. As I know them to be, Idahoans are independent thinkers with a long history of voting for the person, not the party. 

Open primaries and instant run-off voting will restore choice and accountability to us, and we the people want that.

CHRISTINE MOON

Sandpoint