Sam Reed talks ‘04 battle for primary voting system, its implications today
In 2001, Sam Reed’s exhilaration from being sworn in as Washington Secretary of State was shattered just two hours later when he was served papers informing him that he was being sued over the state’s primary voting system.
The lawsuit began a seven year fight to change Washington’s system after it was ruled unconstitutional in 2003. Reed, a Republican, was at the forefront of the battle between Washington State and its political parties when he continually supported the Top Two Primary Initiative (I-872), which continues to spark controversy even as it is used today.
Reed spoke on his fight to implement I-872 on Sept. 22 in the Honors College Lounge.
“I really do believe that the Top Two fits the political heritage and the political culture of the state of Washington,” he said.
The blanket primary had been in place for almost 100 years when it was challenged in 2001. Under that system, voters chose one candidate for each office without regard to party lines, and the top candidate from each political party, moved on to the general election.
According to Reed, Democrats and Republicans saw this as a disadvantage because it discouraged party loyalty, especially among mainstream voters who didn’t identify strongly with either party. Parties could also be sabotaged if voters chose a weaker candidate from a party on purpose, setting him or her up to lose the general election.
I-872 does not require voters to declare their political affiliation, and allows them to choose between all candidates running for office. The two candidates who receive the most votes for each position then move on to the general election. It passed by almost 60 percent in 2004.
“With I-872, you are voting for the person, not the party,” Reed said.
Although it had strong support among voters, Republican and Democrat leaders in Washington disliked this system as well. They saw political parties as private groups, and that the state had too much control under I-872. They sued again, but lost when the Supreme Court voted to uphold the system in March 2008.
I-872 was used for the first time in the 2008 primary and was overwhelmingly successful, Reed said.
“For the first time, candidates that normally would have skated into the general election had to show up at community forums and debates, and make a stand,” he said. “Voters loved it.”
A main argument against I-872 is that two candidates from the same political party can possibly collect the most votes and go to the general election, allowing no representation from the opposing party. This did happen in some districts in 2008 but was not a problem to voters, Reed said.
“In districts where a Democrat almost always wins, Republican voters felt they had an impact on the election for the first time because they could vote for the more moderate of the two,” he said.
Jonathan Younce, a freshman political science major, attended the speech and said he likes I-872 and that it’s good for elections in Washington.
“We actually get to choose who to vote for, out of everyone,” he said. “I like having that option.”
Emily Rietmann, a junior political science major, says the Top Two primary system truly embodies America’s basic rights.
“A two-party system isn’t what George Washington or our founders envisioned,” she said. “Being able to vote for whoever you want despite your political party affiliation is what our country’s all about.”
Reed said that though he still faces criticism from political party members for I-872, he continues to fully support it.
“Once you cross the threshold [into public office], you’re there to act for the people,” he said.
Questions for Sam Reed
· Do you think Washington’s primary voting system could work nationally?
· What would you say to smaller party members, like Libertarians, who don’t really have a chance to reach the general election now?
· Do you foresee any more legal battles over the primary system?
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