PRESS RELEASE: for IMMEDIATE ISSUE, August 3, 2016
Libertarians Say Primary Election Discriminates
The first words of Michigan’s Constitution state “All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for their equal benefit, security and protection.”
The majority of Michigan’s electorate does not vote in Primary elections (65% this year), and more people identify as independent than either Republican or Democrat (42% nationally). Nonetheless, around ten million of our tax dollars help the minority-representing Democrats and Republicans choose and promote their candidates. The use of public money to fund private organizations is also questionable.
If political power is inherently equal, then Michigan’s primary system constitutes political discrimination against independents and alternate parties, who select and promote their candidates without taxpayer funding or assistance.
Tied to the primary is publicity from the media, whose coverage of the primaries leaves the impression there will be only two parties on the ballot. This bias continues through the general election. For example, often only two of five candidates for the same office are invited to debate.
The US is the only major country in the world without uniform national ballot access laws. Either every state should have a primary with all parties on the same date, or none should have a primary. Parties can select candidates at their own expense by convention or caucus, as they did prior to 1912. Primary elections were not widely used by most states until the 1970’s.
It is time to end the arbitrary and unfair primary system. Designed and implemented by the old party machines to control the process, it is a recurring point of contention as each party tries to tweak it to their best advantage. If Michigan eliminates or restructures its primary, other states could follow. It might eventually prompt a Congressional solution to establish a level playing field for all federal candidates, which would affect elections across the nation.
Libertarians are dedicated to a political future that lives up to our Constitution. That means either every party in the primary, or no publicly funded primary. It is an essential step towards equality for every party and all potential voters. If legislatures will not act, then the public must.
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CONTACT: Bill Gelineau, Libertarian Party of Michigan chair, 888-Free-Now (888-373-3669)
chair@michiganlp.org
42% of electorate identifies as Independent:
https://www.gallup.com/poll/188096/democratic-republican-identification-near-historical-lows.aspx?g_source=Politics&g_medium=newsfeed&g_campaign=tiles
65% of Michigan voters did not participate in 8-2-16 Primary:
https://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/2016_michigan_primary_voter_tu.html
