Monday, January 19, 2009

Texas State Legislature may ban straight ticket voting

By Brian Allen of Best Southwest Citizen

More Texans cast straight ticket ballots in November’s historic election than the state has seen in 10 years. So it seems a little unusual that a lawmaker would bring forth a measure seeking to ban straight ticket voting. Texas is one of only 16 states that allow the practice. Republican Sen. Jeff Wentworth wants to end straight ticket voting, coincidentally at a time his party is losing power in the state.

Democrats are, of course, calling him out and charging the Republicans are trying to cling to their waning political power in the state. The Republicans had only a 1.3 percent margin of victory among straight ticket voters in November.

Straight ticket voting emphasizes so many of the problems in our largely two party system. It asks voters to pick a political label rather than study a candidate’s credentials or voting record. It doesn’t take into account how many candidates switch parties with the shifting political winds. Nor does it address the real possibility that your favorite party may have placed a candidate that is unqualified, a crook, an incompetent, or all of the above on the ballot.

Particularly at the local level, it doesn’t make sense to vote for a candidate because they have the same letter next to their name that George Bush or Barack Obama does. Especially since your local leaders have as much, if not more, impact on your lives.

Though I am no fan of the current political system or straight ticket voting, I can’t support Wentworth’s efforts to change a system that isn’t broken. The timing is politically interesting, to put it mildly. Even if his intention isn’t to deny Dems the inroads they’ve made in Dallas and Harris County, that could be the result. Changing state law, especially one that’s been on the books since 1911, shouldn’t be done as part of a political power grab. There should be some reason that changing the law would leave Texans better off, or that not changing it causes them harm. There’s no such payoff in this proposal.

And at a time when voters are staying away in droves, it doesn’t make sense to make voting an even longer process. While I disagree with using one’s personal vote as a blanket endorsement of a political party, it’s well within a voter’s rights to do so. Every voter should have the right to use whatever criteria they deem important to select a candidate. If there’s only one reason they’re making the choice, it is still their choice to make. The most recent voter numbers indicate that nearly 60 percent of the state’s voters took advantage of the current system. That’s hardly a mandate for change.

Last but not least, I would be remiss if I didn’t break out the traditional chestnut of political debate: there are more important issues facing legislators. It’s as cliche as cliches come but is very true in this case. There are countless real problems facing the state of Texas. A debate on straight ticket voting is a waste of taxpayers’ time and money at a moment we can ill afford to waste either.

Pegasus News content partner - Best Southwest Citizen

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Comments

Scott Doyle Verified

Surprised it's a Republican pushing for this...

9 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Chris Kidd Verified

The repubs are sore that they got their butts handed to them in the national elections. They're looking for revenge in the form of limiting my rights to vote straight ticket..

9 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

I've had this impression for a long time now that Republican voters in Texas are more likely to vote straight ticket

Same here, hence the surprise. Even if they anticipate their voters to be more patient, blah blah blah - why risk it?

9 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Catbird Anonymous

Lupe Valdez is a product of the straight ticket vote. If you think she's a great sheriff then you should probably affirm the current arrangement.

9 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )