Senate votes to open Kentucky primaries to independent voters
The Associated Press
FRANKFORT — The Senate has approved a bill that would allow registered Independents to vote in Republican and Democratic primaries in Kentucky.
The measure passed 25-12 largely along party lines with Republicans overwhelmingly favoring it. It now goes to the Democratic-controlled House where its chances for passage appear slim.
Republican Sen. Jimmy Higdon of Lebanon said the legislation simply would allow more Kentucky voters to participate in primary elections plagued by low turnout. But Democratic Sen. Jullian Carroll of Frankfort was among Democrats who were unwilling to allow the state’s 185,622 Independents the potential to sway the outcomes of the major party primaries.
The fear is that independents could sabotage an election by voting en masse for the weaker of major party candidates.
The measure is Senate Bill 53.
Filed Under: Elections • KY General Assembly
About the Author: John Stamper is the accountability editor for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Monticello, Ky., he has been with the Herald-Leader in a variety of roles since graduating from Western Kentucky University in 2000. Reach him at jstamper@herald-leader.com
So, goes the theocacy that has corrupted Kentucky politics for years and this is from a registered democrat.
The politicians want to control their respective parties and the people loose again.
In these days of regional parties, it’s no shock to anyone that Kentucky’s successor to Bunning’s seat is going to be a Republican. The people are not losing anything here, Will. The people deserve a say in who they will ultimately end up being represented by. By the way, isn’t it still the case that Kentucky registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans?
If you want to have a say in who the Democrats nominate, join the Democratic party. If you want a say in who the Republicans nominate, join the Republican party. Political parties exist to allow people who agree on a political philosophy a mechanism to attempt to enact their agenda. Letting in those who do not share that philosophy defeats the purpose of having political parties to begin with.
This smells like the Republican machine getting ready to sign a pact with Satan to make sure their boy Trey gets past Rand Paul to me. Don’t be fooled by talk of improving voter turnout. Don’t be corrupt. That will increase voter turnout. Look at the timing of this. It is shameful.
I’m a reg independent, and I would *like* to vote in both primaries. However, tradition should stand. It is for the parties to choose their candidates. If the situation was different, the GOP would be complaining and the dems would be pushing in through. We don’t need more self-serving politicians acting on “our” behalf. Keep it as is.
Tradition kept the south segregated and woman out of the voting booths, not intelligence. Why if you have two friends who are running for different offices in you county, would you want to tell a citizen he can’t vote because he is independent. Anyone unless they’ve been hiding in a hole, realizes this two party system has corrupted American politics. They need to be confronted, not appeased.
Remember this, you may get elected for the first term, but that doesn’t guarantee you will be elected the next election, UNLESS you are a congressmand in the United States, where 97 of them get re-elected every time they run.
Todd says: “Political parties exist to allow people who agree on a political philosophy a mechanism to attempt to enact their agenda.”
Todd, where have you been? Do you not watch or read the news? What philosophy or agenda do “the Democrats” or “the Republicans” have other than “Elect Me”?
Since the two “major” parties have a stranglehold on the political process, all citizens should be allowed to vote in the primaries.
The “fear” expressed in the article is just baloney. The motives of the electorate should not be pre-examined; It’s as much a part of our American political tradition to vote AGAINST those candidates we dislike as it is to vote FOR those we like.
I’m applauding my fellow Republicans on this vote.
Do the politicians currently in office expect me to believe that they are changing by doing something like this? I guess they’ll get the message when they are all in the unemployment line like everyone else. I plan on doing my part on seeing that no incumbent that thinks it is their god given right to pretend to represent me, gets back into office anytime soon, regardless of party.
Primaries exist to allow members of political parties to nominate their candidates for the general election. No person not a member of a specific political party should be allowed to vote in a party primary. Next thing you know we will have open primaries where Democrats can vote in the Republican primary and vice versa. Let the “Independent Party” hold its own primary and select its own candidates.
http://cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/02/03/mattingly.independent.vote.cnn
A link to CNN’s coverage of the Senate vote. This aired last night on Campbell Brown’s show.
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