Dear editor,
I am a registered Republican voter. Anyone who knows me very well, and probably many who don’t know me very well at all, would likely be surprised by this fact. My political, philosophical, and personal ideologies do not align very closely with the Republican party platform. I know because I’m one of those nerds who reads both parties’ platforms when they’re adopted.
But, I love participating in the democratic process. I believe voting is the best way to exercise my voice in the governance of my local, county, regional, state, and national institutions. And in rural Kansas many positions at the local, county, and regional levels are decided in the Republican primary elections, with the winner being unopposed on the general ballot. Kansas has closed primaries, so only voters affiliated with a party may participate in that party’s primary contests.
So, in order to most fully express my voice in participative democracy, I have chosen to register with a party. Would I rather remain officially unaffiliated, as neither party aligns with my philosophies? Absolutely. Is making that principled stand worth sacrificing my ability to have a voice in local, county, and regional government? Absolutely not.
Maybe someday I’ll move to an area where party affiliation doesn’t limit my ability to participate in the choice of my elected officials. But I doubt it; I love living in Allen County. And I love every one of you — Republicans, Democrats, and even (gasp!) Greens.
— Jake Ard,
Gas, Kan.
