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AZ veterans support open primaries initiative

Posted by Cathy L. Stewart on May 23, 2024 at 11:03 AM

By Alex Gonzalez, originally posted May 15th on publicnewsservice.org

There are 1.45 million Independent and unaffiliated voters in the Grand Canyon State, the largest voting bloc, according to Make Elections Fair Arizona. (Adobe Stock)

Memorial Day is less than two weeks away, and for two Arizona veterans, it's a time to honor those who lost their lives while defending the United States, as well as stand up for democratic ideals like freedom and fairness.

Former Lt. Col. John Webster served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years and thinks systemic barriers in Arizona's electoral system disenfranchise independent voters like him from participating in elections, which in turn prevents independent candidates from getting onto the ballot.

"Sometimes you have to change the system to get those people in," he explained. "It is this system that is giving you the politicians or the leaders that are at odds with each other and struggling. You're not going to see real change or consensus building until you go down one more level and you make an institutional change."

That is why Webster supports a bipartisan initiative pushing for open primaries in the Grand Canyon State. Currently, independent voters, the largest voting bloc in Arizona, are required to select either a Republican or Democratic ballot to participate in the state's primary election, taking place next month. Independent and unaffiliated candidates must collect up to six times the number of signatures as a partisan candidate to get on the ballot.

While Webster would like to see change, proponents argue closed primaries are integral to keeping party ideals consistent.

Former Lt. Col. T.J. Lindberg served in the U.S. Army from 1995 to 2015, including combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. For many military personnel, learning to consider and listen to various stakeholder perspectives is crucial; he wants to see the same approach when it comes to governing.

"We need people who are looking at the entire problem set and figuring out how to put all these things together. And I think that is where your independent voter and your independent, retired, or active military officer or noncommissioned officer, I think that really ends up shaping your views," Lindberg suggested.

Lindberg said the open primary movement in Arizona has a real opportunity to allow "middle of the spectrum, solution-oriented" leaders the chance to play a larger role in addressing problems -- not only at the state level, but nationally and internationally, too.

Arizona should stop punishing voters for choosing to be independent

Posted by Cathy L. Stewart on April 23, 2024 at 12:39 PM

Opinion: It's needlessly difficult in Arizona to vote and run for office as an independent. This ballot initiative would treat all voters the same.

By John Webster and TJ Lindberg

Originally published April 12, 2024 on azcentral.com

At the heart of American democracy is the basic right to vote. This treasured privilege has been earned through struggle and is the very foundation of our freedom.

It is the right on which all other rights hinge. 

With a combined 40 years of military service, we stand alongside many other brave Americans devoted to upholding the principles of freedom and fairness. Beyond a history of service and love of country, as many as 6 in 10 veterans proudly call ourselves independent voters.

In Arizona, systemic barriers entrenched within our electoral system are designed to disenfranchise voters like us and prevent candidates who genuinely reflect our interests from getting on the ballot. These obstacles disproportionately complicate veterans’ ability to have a say in selecting the future commander-in-chief. 

Independent voters face too many barriers

A person walks inside Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix to vote in the Arizona primary election on Aug. 2, 2022. (Antranik Tavitian/The Republic)

Requiring independent voters to re-register with a party simply so we can exercise our right to vote in elections we pay for contradicts the very act of disassociating from a party that no longer reflects our values. 

Moreover, independent candidates are subjected to significantly higher signature requirements — up to six times more signatures than Republican or Democratic candidates — unfairly hindering their ability to qualify for the ballot.

Even if a candidate overcomes these hurdles their name will not appear on primary ballots, like R and D candidates, but instead will only appear on the general election ballot.    

Veterans have sacrificed a great deal for us. Is it fair to deny them the freedoms enjoyed by the parties they don’t identify with and expect them to sacrifice more to participate in the primary elections their taxpayer dollars pay for?

Our system should facilitate and make the opportunity to vote or run for office open to everyone. 

Change requires courage.

But we’re all too familiar with the candidates that benefit from preserving status quo. The ones that prioritize party allegiance over what’s best for their country.

It's time for Arizona to Make Elections Fair

It’s time we put the nation’s interests above party politics and reignite the spirit of cooperation and teamwork that has historically fueled our country’s success.  

The Make Elections Fair Act ensures every American can cast a vote that upholds their values without compromise by:

  • Treating all voters equally by allowing them to automatically vote in every primary election for any candidate they want. 
  • Treating all candidates equally by creating a single open primary election where all candidates for a given office appear on the same ballot and have the same signature requirements. 
  • Restricting taxpayer money to only elections that are open to all voters and candidates, not private party elections. 

Our democracy thrives when every citizen’s voice is heard.

Let’s treat all voters and candidates equally. Join the fight for fair elections in Arizona.    

Learn more at makeelectionsfairaz.com. Where to sign a petition: www.makeelectionsfairaz.com/signapetition.

Former Lt. Col. John Webster served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. Former Lt. Col. TJ Lindberg served in the U.S. Army from 1995 to 2015, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reach them at [email protected] and [email protected]; on X, formerly Twitter: @jawbeaver and @TravisLindberg7. 

My Take: The duopoly of our two-party system

Posted by Cathy L. Stewart on April 17, 2024 at 3:06 PM

Opinion by John Gutekunst

Originally published Mar. 21, 2024 to Parker Pioneer.net

Pioneer File PhotoJohn Gutekunst - Pioneer File Photo

On March 19, Arizonans went to the polls to decide who will be on our state’s ballot for President of the United States. However, not all Arizonans could vote in this Presidential Preference Election. Only registered Republicans and Democrats could vote, and they could only vote for the party they are registered with.

This election was paid for by the taxpayers. Yet, the largest bloc of voters in this state was not allowed to participate:  Independents. According to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, in July 2023, there were 1,444,953 registered Republicans in Arizona and 1,252,360 Democrats. However, Independents and others totaled 1,459,432. There are more Arizona voters registered as Independents than there are registered Republicans or Democrats.

Arizona is now a “purple” state where it was once a reliably “red” state.

If a state election, funded by our tax dollars, bars so many Arizonans from participating, how can it be seen as fair or a reflection of the will of our state’s voters? The sad fact is it can’t.

A few weeks before the 2022 midterm elections, a pair of election observers from Europe paid a visit to La Paz County. They met with Elections Director Bob Bartlesmeyer and Recorder Richard Garcia. They were eager to hear about the election process in our state and county.

They said the biggest thing that surprised them was how the parties’ candidate selection process was paid for by the taxpayers. This includes not just Presidential Preference Elections, but partisan primaries as well. They said that, in Europe, the candidate selection process is paid for by the parties’ themselves.

This is something all Arizonans should think about, especially when so many Arizona voters are barred from participating in the Presidential Preference Election.

I think this all shows the duopoly that the Republicans and Democrats have over the candidate selection process in all elections except those local elections that are non-partisan.

There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution about political parties. In fact, the founders appear to have not liked the idea of parties. Yet, we have this partisan duopoly mostly due to state law, tradition and custom.

When you have so many people who are disgusted with both parties, as we do now, you have only the most partisan people who remain in those parties. That’s how President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump became the front-runners in the race for President. They reflect their parties, not the desires and needs of the American people.

I’m not the only one who’s saying this:  in a nation of 330 million people, these two can’t possibly be the best candidates we can find for the highest elected office in the land.

I’m thinking we need an entirely new system, one that relies on the people rather than the parties for selecting candidates. One suggestion I’ve heard is holding an open primary with candidates from all parties on the ballot. The top two candidates face each other in a general election.

That’s one possibility. I’m sure there are others out there.

If I may be permitted to be silly for a moment, I suggest we do away with the election for President. Everyone who gets enough signatures on a petition will be taken to a large field in Kansas, Texas or Iowa. They will each be given a big pile of manure to sling at each other. Whoever can stand the smell the longest wins.

I know most people would say this idea stinks.

Seriously, it looks like we’re stuck with the partisan system we have. That’s because the very people who could change it and make it more reflective of the will of the American people are the same people who benefit the most from keeping the system as it is.

That appears to be a problem with a whole host of issues. The people who could most effectively make change are the same people who benefit from keeping things as they are.

I don’t know who said it, but it certainly applies here:  “The more things change, the more they remain the same.”