The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
Localities objected, and state lawmakers listened.
After local officials from around the state voiced opposition, a legislative proposal for partisan local elections was halted in its tracks today in a Virginia House of Delegates committee.
Under Del. Steven Landes’ bill, HB 769, candidates running in local elections who had been nominated by a political party would have been identified as such on the ballot, just as those in state and federal elections are.
His measure was defeated 12-10 today in the House Privileges and Elections Committee, meaning it will advance no further. So ballots in local elections will remain as they are now – free of party labels.
Landes, R-Augusta County, said his bill was intended to clear up confusion at the polls. “I’m trying to make it easier for voters to know who they’re voting for,” he said.
That brought a rejoinder from Del. Lacey Putney, I-Bedford County, who has been in the legislature 50 years. In all that time, he said, “I’ve never had a voter tell me they didn’t know who they were voting for.”
Several committee members said they’d heard from local officials in their districts who are happy with nonpartisan elections and want to keep them that way.
Del. John Cosgrove, R-Chesapeake, noted that his city’s charter requires nonpartisan elections.
Opposition to Landes' measure was bipartisan. “We have a system that works very well,” Del. Rosalyn Dance, D-Petersburg, said. “This might contaminate the waters.”
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Only an idiot
or someone who believes in unicorns would think that because there is no "D" or "R" next to the names on the ballot it is "non-partisan." If you have two people running for the same office with different ideas on how to approach the office, then it is partisan. Partisanship is not a dirty word, it is the basis of all politics, the competition of ideas. If it isn't, we might as well skip elections and draw names out of a hat-it doesn't matter who is occupying an office, everyone will achieve the same results and those results will be satisfactory to all concerned. How many people believe that?
Good
We should'nt be catering to lazy voters who simply vote (D) or (R) without taking the time to look at individual candidates and what they stand for.
Silly comment
“I’m trying to make it easier for voters to know who they’re voting for"
Seems that Landes is the one confused at the polls. I can read. I vote for a candidate by name, not the party he happens to represent. I know who I am voting for.
State and federal politicans are more worried about political party backing and acceptance, they have completly forgotten they are elected to represent the voter. Just once try voting how your constituents want, not how your party "leaders" tell you to vote.