Protect voter choice, vote no on 2

I encourage everyone to vote no on Ballot Measure 2. You will be saving your right to choose.

Ballot Measure 2 would revive the old method of primary elections. As described in the state’s ballot summary, this is what would happen if the measure passes: “voters would choose a party's ballot, unless prohibited by the party's bylaws. They would only vote for candidates on that ballot.”

Under the old primary system, each party gets to choose who can vote on its ballot. So, the state – that’s all of us – pays for and runs the election, but each party gets to choose who will be allowed to vote on its ballot. How is that fair? It’s not.

What would be fair? Before the primary, each political party could hold its own election to choose its own preferred candidate. The winners could be labeled as the “official” candidates for those political parties.

Then we could hold an open primary paid for and run by the state – that’s all of us. There would be one ballot, and we would all get to vote on it. No political party leaders restricting our choices. That’s what we have now. Let’s keep it.

That’s fair. Please vote no on Ballot Measure 2 and preserve your right to choose.

Eric Troyer

Fairbanks