Closed Primary vs. Open Primary:

On one hand, by June Burkhart

On Aug. 27, 2002, when the people of Alaska go to the polls to exercise their voting privilege in the Alaska Primary Election, they will receive one out of six ballots to vote, one for each of the six recognized parties within Alaska. People who are registered to vote and have declared that they are a member of one of the recognized parties will receive the ballot listing candidates that have registered to run within that party, only. People who are not registered within a recognized political party within Alaska fall into three categories: 1.) Undeclared, who may be affiliated with a party but have not declared a choice on their voter registration. 2.) Non-partisan, who have not declared any party affiliation on their voter registration; and 3.) Other, who may belong to a party but that party is not recognized within the state of Alaska. Voters falling into any one of these three categories may request any one, but only one, of the six ballots associated with the six recognized parties within Alaska. They do not lose their right to vote, but they can vote only one ballot.

This new change in the voting laws has some people highly upset. Apparently they do not recognize the true purpose of a Primary Election. This closed primary allows people registered within a given party to choose the candidate of their choice of registered candidates, within their party, to represent the party for each office open for that particular election cycle. Alaska has had an open primary for many years, held in late summer, wherein anyone could "cross over" and vote for a person running for a particular office, regardless of that candidate's party affiliation. Then in November during the general election, they again can vote for whomever they want, which is normal. This has been totally redundant and often misused wherein voters would vote for someone, not in their party, who they feel is a weak candidate and won't be strong enough to beat the leading candidate within the party they belong to. This deliberate crossing over has been organized within one party to deliberately eliminate the strongest candidate within an opposing party. This goes against all purposes of a primary election. The purpose of the primary election, as stated before, is simply the process made available to the membership of each recognized party wherein they can elect "their party" candidate who will then appear on the General Election Ballot.

Yes, things are different this year and may be somewhat confusing. However, if one truly understands that the only fair way for the members of a given party to choose the candidate from their party that will appear on the general election ballot, is for the majority of the membership of that party to vote that person onto that ballot through a closed (to party members only) primary election process. I would invite all my friends who are registered Undeclared, Non-Partisan, of Other to look at the sample ballot, well in advance of the Primary Election, and on election day ask for the ballot of the party that they feel they can best support and exercise your privilege to vote that ballot. Further, I would like to see a more positive action and see the Undeclareds, Nonpartisans, and Others look within themselves and decide what you truly stand for and join the one party that most clearly projects the same values and principles that you value. But, most important, don't get upset to the point that it leads you to not exercise your privilege, at all.

I look forward to seeing you at the polls on Aug. 27.

June Burkhart lives on Nancy Lake in Willow.