All should vote in primary
Toolbox
Published: May 9, 2010
Tired of the rhetoric yet? Appalled and disgusted by the extreme polarization on the national political scene and concerned it will pollute Vermont politics? Fortunately, this year there is an opportunity to demonstrate that the radical ideologues who judge the worth of their fellow citizens based on their mindless adherence to a particular doctrine have no place in the Green Mountains.
Just as important as voting in the general election to determine the winner from among the available choices is deciding just who those choices will be. An informed and carefully considered vote is wasted if the only choices offered are unpalatable. While in many races candidates are forced to adopt radical positions in order to woo the strident and politically active wings of their party who are most likely to participate in the primaries, in Vermont we fortunately already have in place a mechanism to reward those candidates who instead demonstrate a moderate, inclusive course. Under the Vermont open primary system, all Vermonters have a vote for who the candidates will be regardless of political affiliation. With no contested Republican gubernatorial primary and a large slate of Democratic candidates of differing views to choose among, we all have an opportunity this year to use our primary vote to promote moderation, reasoned statesmanship and true leadership.
Get involved and use your primary vote to shape the field of candidates, increasing the chance that in November you will be presented with candidates devoted to leading all Vermonters instead of pandering to only the most extreme members of their own party.
Patrick Cashman
Shelburne
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