How to improve Primary Election Turnout: Let Everyone Vote

My state had a primary election this week and once again the press and election officials bemoaned the fact that turnout was light. They blamed it mostly on electoral apathy. I submit that a more direct cause is the fact that only registered party members can vote in a primary. That means that one third or more of the electorate, including myself, who are registered independent or unaffiliated cannot vote. Now coupled with the apathy factor you get a turnout of between 15% and 25%.

I suggest doing away with preregistration of party affiliation. You would still register to vote, but you would not indicate a party. Then, when you arrived at the polling station during a primary election you would tell the poll worker in which party's primary you would be voting and would be instantly registered with that party. You would remain registered with that party until you voted in another primary. Only registered voters who never voted in a primary would remain unaffiliated.

This would allow all voters to participate and improve voter turnout. There are a number of primaries in which I wished I could vote, but can't because I am registered independent. Of course I could reregister as a party member, but that is a hassle if I want to change my affiliation from one election to the next. Anything that improves voter turnout should be encouraged.

The Crisis in Ukraine

The crisis in Ukraine is very worrisome. A worst outcome is war between the US and Russia. I am heartened that Ukraine is finally acting on its threats to retake its public buildings in the East. Empty threats embolden the separatists. I hope that Russia does not see this as provocation for further escalation or at worst full scale invasion.

If I were US president, I would tell Russia that further provocation would result in new strong sanctions:

• All Russian government employees would be barred from travel to the US except members of the Russian UN, embassy, and consulate delegations - and these allowed into the US only on a case by case basis
• All members of the Russian armed forces and members of the separatist militias in Ukraine would be barred from travel to the US
• All financial transactions made in rubles would be barred from US regulated banks except money returned to US accounts
• All US financial accounts would be barred from transferring money to Russian bank accounts and any non-Russina bank accounts where the funds are in rubles

I would also propose the following military activities:

• Send small arms and humanitarian supplies such as food, medical, etc. to the Ukrainian armed forces
• Send small artillery to the Ukrainian armed forces
• Send an aircraft carrier into the Black Sea
• Restart talks with Poland concerning missile defenses
• Ask congress to appropriate funds to build two new aircraft carriers
• Ask the Secretary of Defense to reorganize the armed forces for better projection of power rather than having military bases all over the world