Opinion

Former straight-ticket voters must learn about candidates

An editorial from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph 

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Voters in West Virginia can expect one important change when they head to the polls this November. They will no longer be allowed to cast a straight-ticket ballot.

Lawmakers in Charleston opted to end straight-ticket voting during the 2015 legislative session. That means voters will now have to select every candidate they wish to vote for individually. You can still vote for all Republican or Democratic, candidates if you choose. But you will simply have to take the time to vote for each candidate individually.

Secretary of State Natalie Tennant is working to educate voters of the change before the start of early voting in the Mountain State on Oct. 26.

 Up until now, West Virginia voters were allowed to select every candidate from a single party simply by picking the straight-party option. After eight decades of one-party political control in the Mountain State, it could be argued that straight-ticket voting has benefited Democrats. But in recent years, West Virginia has become an increasingly Republican state — thanks largely in part to the anti-coal regulations supportede by President Barack Obama and many Democratic lawmakers in Washington.

Republican lawmakers captured both the House and the Senate in 2014 after eight decades of Democratic Party control. But in the 2014 general election, 53 percent of all straight-ticket ballots cast were actually Republican, with another 42 percent going to Democrats. About 462,900 people turned out to vote in 2014, meaning 27 percent of voters used the straight-party option during the last general election.

So it remains to be seen which — if any — political party may benefit from the looming change. It is our hope that the change will benefit area voters first and foremost.

For those who are used to voting a straight-party ticket, the change may seem bothersome. But we think that voters should take the time to consider each individual candidate and race.

While it may be easy to say that you are not going to vote for a certain candidate simply because he or she is a Democrat or Republican, we believe it is important to consider the merits of each and every candidate on a ballot — regardless of his or her political affiliation.

 Voters should be educated about the candidates who are running for individual races. This includes their unique qualifications for the job. In many respects, local elections are often about the individuals who are running, and not their respective political parties.

If nothing else, the change means voters are going to have to take the time to consider each individual candidate. And what’s wrong with that? After all, you should know who you are voting for. And when all is said and done, you can still vote for all Republicans, or all Democrats if you choose.

 With hope, area voters will take the time to educate themselves about the individual candidates, their positions on the issues and their qualifications for the job. An informed voter is always welcomed at the polls.

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