Monday, June 21, 2010

Issue Focus: Voter Choice & Empowerment

Do you think someone that wants to represent you should be required to meet you and other voters when they petition to get on the ballot? Ever said: ‘I vote the candidate, not party’ only to be denied the opportunity to do so because Illinois has “closed” primaries? Would you like to run for office but find the process too cumbersome and confusing? Did you know in Illinois we don’t actually register for a political party? It is only assumed based on your primary ballot selection.

As part of my government reform campaign platform, below are my “Voter Choice and Empowerment” legislative ideas to help answer some of these questions.

With voter participation at all time lows (primary election turnout is typically 20-30 percent, general election turnout hovers in the 50-55 percent range), “plant” candidates and party boss manipulation of who gets on the ballot a perennial election issue, numerous idiosyncrasies to the archaic petition rules, and the desperate need for more good citizens to participate in our electoral process, I propose Illinois:

• modernize ballot access requirements with respect to nominating petitions;
• establish “open primaries” in Illinois;
• allow citizens to declare a party affiliation.

To help build a better government and brighter future for Illinois we need to empower voters and foster greater transparency, involvement and fairness in elections.

My ideas include: (a) decrease the petition signature requirements for established party candidates by 30 percent and put independent and “third party” candidates at the same threshold (we already have enough Scott Lee Cohen's involved so let’s make the process more understandable for solid citizens and diverse opinions); and (b) would require candidates to obtain at least half the necessary signatures themselves, with the remaining signatures to be gathered half from in-district residents, half any other Illinois voting age citizen.

Also, instituting open primaries to allow voters to select their candidate of choice, regardless of party, and proactive registration/choice of party, or none at all, is intended to encourage more voter participation, and help political parties organize. For example, in Cook County where most judicial candidates only run on the Democratic ticket, voters could still vote for a judge and the Republican gubernatorial candidate. Or conversely, we may actually see some Republican judicial candidates.

By opening the primary process and giving voters the right to declare party, be it Republican, Democrat, Libertarian or Tea, citizens will be encouraged to participate more in government and how it operates by giving them more choice. By mandating candidates actually meet voters via a required number of petitions, the days of just hiring signature firms will end and more citizen legislators will hopefully emerge. Taken together, we can begin to reform our government where it starts – at the ballot, each election. Next step is a fair map, real contribution limits and legislative leader term limits.