Voting

So Washington State's new primary system was tested today (see Seattle Weekly). Mixed feelings about it -- like most Washingtonians I have waaay too much of an independent streak and hate being labeled (in all things, not just voting habits!). But I understand that parties have the right to choose their own candidates, and that the state constitution doesn't mandate a primary, so I can get over my usual commitmentphobia and participate in the new primary system.

One of the main objections was voters voting for an awful candidate in another party simply to sway the race in their candidate's favor. Hadn't actually heard of anyone really doing that until last week, when I talked to someone whose parents voted for Ellen Craswell (who wrote this piece!) in the '96 primary in order to give Gary Locke an edge. I'd never vote for a candidate I didn't like, but I have to admit, that's pretty brilliant strategy!!!

Which also brings up the issue of electronic voting. Personally, if we have the technology to have computerized voting, I think that's great. Of course there should be a paper trail that both keeps an accurate record of voting tabulations but doesn't infringe on anyone's privacy rights.
But I'm decidedly not a neo-Luddite, and for the most part, folks I've encountered who are rabidly anti-electronic voting are, at their core, afraid of change.