May 28, 2015 2 min read

As reported in the Observer-Reporter, just 23 percent of registered voters in Washington County and 38 percent of registered voters in Greene County went to the polls in the May 19 primary election. This fraction represents people who have registered to vote. But there are thousands of residents in each county who have no desire to register.

Our local elections are as important as paying taxes and utility bills or staying on the right side of the law. As the Observer-Reporter stated in its Monday editorial, we should have enough candidates to fill every elected position. It’s depressing to know our education system is in the hands of school boards that often have more open seats than there are candidates. Other posts might be sought after by just one candidate. Some positions have no candidates on the ballot at all.

The editorial mentioned independents cannot vote in primary elections. Are registered Democrats and Republicans representing more than 50 percent of our population today? Registration numbers prove they are not, so is it unfair to block the way for others to have a choice in the primaries? No one should be stripped of their right to vote in a primary or general election. Those representing us in Harrisburg also are victims of this outdated system. But they are our only hope for change.

Gone are the days when you lived and died a straight-ticket Republican or Democrat. We have learned over the past 50 years or so that it is better to vote for the candidate rather than the party.

Joann Diesel

Washington