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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Prefers the Birthday Party 7/27/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, July 27, 2008 State's new ballots could be a party to confusion Jerry Cornfield, Herald Columnist Used to be when you looked at a ballot you'd see Democrats and Republicans, a Green here, a Libertarian there and, maybe, one Socialist Worker. And every fourth year, Communist Gus Hall would run for president. In Washington, this year we're doing ballots differently for the Top Two primary, as you'll notice when yours arrives this week. Out is Democrat or Republican next to candidates' names and in are newfangled descriptors of "Prefers Democratic Party" or "Prefers Republican Party." Regardless of what they call themselves, the two candidates with the most votes go on to the general election. Candidates could insert pretty much any group of their choosing if it fit in the allotted 16 spaces between "prefers" and "party." There's an Anacortes man running for state Senate on the Salmon Yoga Party ticket and the Seattle founder of the Party of Commons is vying for secretary of state. Progressive Dem and Cut Taxes G.O.P parties are represented on the ballot too. Sarah Hart is the America's Third Party hopeful against state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen of Camano Island. Hart, I noticed, chose not to use the moniker of her party's political parent, the Cool Rock Party. Rep. Dan Kristiansen of Monroe saved ink with "Prefers R Party." He meant Republican and counted on election workers to spell out the abbreviation. They probably figured if Salmon Yoga is OK, so too is a party known as R. These ballot changes result from the legal maelstrom triggered by voters when they passed the initiative calling for the two candidates with the most votes in each primary race to advance, regardless of political affiliation. Lawyers for the state's major parties argued to the U.S. Supreme Court that, among other things, this system will confuse voters as to the identity of true Democrats and Republicans. Justices said confusion has yet to be proved. I suspect some one will try once votes are counted. Ironically, the parties' own may cause -- and benefit -- the most from this feared confusion, starting with Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi. He went with "G.O.P." rather than Republican while Gov. Chris Gregoire went with Democratic. If there are voters intent on not supporting Republicans yet don't know GOP is code for Republican and back Rossi, no court can clear up their confusion. And they are deserving of their own party. Jerry Cornfield, 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.

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