I am an election judge and voter registrar in Illinois.
I also am a general advocate of voter participation.
Because of these roles, I am very concerned that the Democratic nominee for the office of president of the United States has been decided before the primary election in Illinois and many other states. It is troubling because it makes my vote and the votes of citizens in nearly a third of the United States less important in choosing the Democratic nominee.
Not only is this generally disenfranchising, but it further decreases overall turnout in these states because voters may feel that the election has been decided.
Of course there are frequently other offices for which that primary may be important, like the highly contentious vacancy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.).
The media and the public should investigate and evaluate the history and reason for this powerfully disenfranchising system of staggered primary elections. They should evaluate whether it truly represents the best interests of we the people.
