Lake County Clerk Willard Helander is providing an online survey to the public on proposed legislation to change the 2010 Primary Election to a later date, with April, May, June and August as options.
The survey can be accessed through the County Clerk's website at Survey - 2010 Primary Election by clicking on "Survey - 2010 Primary Election" in the Quick Links. The survey is less than 10 questions in length and is anonymous.
This author believes we should not change the local primary dates further than March. Local candidates are not getting campaign financing from national PACs and need the time from February to November to campaign.
2 comments:
The survey is a bit narrow in that it doesn't allow respondents to address the political implications of changing the primary date. Its focus seems to be on optimizing voter turnout. I'm interested in other ways of doing that, such as online voting. Here's an interesting article: http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/no_20090107_7892.php
The right to self-government is unalienable, but the act itself must be practiced. One habit required for self-government is being mindful of the importance of elections as an experience, a celebration, and not a chore. Being an adult demands taking responsibility. Responsibility for some things cannot be delegated. We cannot delegate responsibility for making choices like whom to marry and whether to have children. We cannot delegate responsibility for the crimes we commit. We cannot delegate responsibility for practicing our religion. And, we cannot, in a democracy, delegate responsibility for choosing the government we are empowered by our Creator to create.
To ensure democracy, the people must take responsibility for the one institution that renders all other institutions subservient, our elections. It's a burden, but it's a burden unlike any other because it makes us free.
In my view there is only one way to sustain a true democracy....paper ballots.
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