The common political theory on voting is, fewer people vote in the primary than in the general election. Why? Mainly because most voters don’t see voting in the primary as very important. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Last Tuesday saw disappointing election returns across the Illinois region, which saw a minor peak in turnout. The primary is not a throw away election with no significance. The primary offers a chance to select the potential nominees for the Democratic and Republican parties.

Say you’re a moderate Republican voter but you didn’t vote in the primary. Traditionally in Illinois, conservatives tend to vote in large numbers in the GOP primary. Moderates who don’t vote in the primary are assured of having a conservative candidate in the general election.

By the 1920s, almost every state was moving to a primary voting system. Before that, political bosses chose candidates in back room negotiations held out of the sight of the public. Voters had no choice but to select from the hand-picked choices of party leaders. If that system were still in place, many candidates would be frozen out of the process.

In previous elections, the state Republican Party failed to slate moderate candidates for the general election due in large part to dedicated conservative voters who chose conservative candidates. Still, critics will note that the two major parties continue to maintain a tight grip on the selection process.

But the process is at least open to public scrutiny. And as was the case in the 2000 presidential election, nothing is absolute in the primaries.

Arizona Sen. John McCain surprised most political prognosticators and then front-runner George W. Bush by winning the New Hampshire primary.
New Hampshire voters were swayed by McCain’s no-nonsense style, not by Bush’s anointing by the GOP as the party’s standard bearer for the general election. Despite not winning, McCain’s success was an example of the primary’s importance.

Also, having to declare a party depresses primary turnout. Having an open Illinois primary would alleviate this problem. But changing the current system will not make up for some voters’ ignorance of the election process.

In short, we don’t simply need a high primary turnout, but informed voters who take an active role in elections.

This editorial comes from the Daily Egyptian at Southern Illinois University. This column was distributed by U-Wire.

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TCU Daily Skiff © 2002