Washington is the easiest state to cast a vote (an exercise in citizenship) and yet we had less than 50 percent of the ballots returned. You get a well-laid-out informative pamphlet mailed to you and the ballot, how much easier can it be? Just make your decisions, sign, put a stamp on the envelope and mail it.
Now various special interests, parties and politicians will claim they have a mandate, when in reality only the elite (those who voted — a minority of the registered eligible voters) determined our future. Just 25 percent of the registered voters turned our county government on its head; 30 percent of the registered state voters passed a stupid gun measure.
Everyone should vote.
All ballots should include a place to vote “I don’t care,” with this change we could dispel the notion that an initiative or politician has had a mandate. Or, change state law to require at least a two-thirds majority of the registered voters to revise a county government or pass some ridiculous gun measure. If we don’t get two-thirds then the measure should go back to the trash heap, because we don’t care enough to vote on it.
Randy Stewart
Camas
