Letters: Our Readers’ Opinion

Correcting Prop 1 info

I would like to correct a few figures that Bob Hassoldt used to make the argument in his Tribune opinion piece dated Sept. 1.

He mentioned a figure of $40 million dollars as the cost of replacing the voting machines in order to implement Proposition 1. That would be the top estimation of the cost, but that’s only if the state decides to take that route. They may choose to simply update the software, which would significantly lower the cost to about $500,000. To date, no decision has been made.

Bob’s voter registration totals are incorrect. I took his advice and exercised, “the responsibility of the involved citizen that our Founding Fathers invisioned” and looked up the correct numbers on sos.idaho.gov. Just totaling the correct voter registration numbers of unaffiliated ( 266,600) and Democratic (127,623), they total 394,223. That’s 210,064 voters fewer than the number of registered Republicans voters in Idaho (604,287). So clearly, swaying voters is not the purpose of Proposition 1.

Proposition 1 is a nonpartisan, voters’ rights initiative only. Its supporters believe in the right of legal voters to vote in every election that their tax dollars pay for. No one should have to pre-qualify to vote by registering in a political party beforehand, especially if they plan to vote for the candidate, not the party line.

Our right to vote precedes all other rights. Regardless of affiliation, vote yes on Prop 1 in November. Thank you.

Patrice Yeatter

Kooskia

Ranked choice voting

I don’t vote party lines. I listen, research many venues and I vote.

Proposition 1 contains wordage concerning ranked choice voting, with both parties leaving out some information. You must research for yourself. I have experience with this system. You should research states that have ranked choice voting.

Rank is voting in order, first through sixth, of your choices. Once you have ranked your choices, there is a calculation done of the percentages of first, second and third place votes a delegate receives. Even if delegates get the most first place votes, they are not guaranteed to win.

The idea behind ranked choice voting is to allow a delegate who has a combination of higher votes (first, second, third), to emerge as a more majority winner. It’s possible two conservatives or two liberals could be in the primary.

Once delegates are chosen from respective parties, we all get to vote anyway. The majority should win.

Cathy Jo Zeller

Lewiston

Enjoying e-edition

I subscribe to the Lewiston Tribune’s digital e-edition and after the change I was near canceling.

Arrrrghh. Why can’t I, why won’t it, where is?

Recently, I sat and clicked the three horizontal bars, the buttons and simply explored. After all, isn’t that what the Sunday edition is for?

Wow, is all I can say. “Read articles from the page” is perfect for me. I have rediscovered the joy of the Comics section.

Discovering and using the listen function is amazing. Just the right voice, tempo and enunciation as I read along. It is like reading with a friend. My next adventure is to download and listen to the whole paper. Like listening to an audiobook with multiple chapters?

If you canceled, or are thinking of canceling, I suggest taking the time to explore. Consider moving the default button to “read articles from the page,” as I did.

I must admit however, a continuing tic in my side is the date. Placement? Layout? I just can’t put my finger on why it bugs me like an itch I can’t scratch.

I just wanted to write and say thanks to all those working hard to keep it local and yet in step with the ever-evolving 21st century. It has become a joy to read once again.

Rosanne Smith

Arco, Idaho

Just stop digging

Ol’ Bridger Barnett is at it again, trying to reply to my letter about the Tribune’s supposed “puppet” letter writers.

Of course, Ol’ Bridger is unable to see that, when his letters are appearing in the Tribune as often as they do, that must make him one of the Tribune’s “pet puppets” as well. It hurts when logic turns around and bites you on the butt, doesn’t it?

Bridger needs to heed that age-old saying: When you find yourself in a hole — stop digging.

Danny Radakovich

Lewiston

Supporting Kathy Dawes

We’ve known Kathy Dawes for more than 20 years, both as a well-loved and highly respected teacher in the Moscow School District, and then as a tireless advocate in support of legislation and candidates in the best interest of Idahoans. She is thorough in learning about the situations or issues she works on, considers all reasonable solutions and follows through with action.

She works well with others and is especially skillful at bringing people from all political perspectives together. She has worked with the national organization, Braver Angels, as a facilitator, to bring together people with very different beliefs in conversations about what matters to them most, a skill that the Idaho Legislature sorely needs.

Kathy believes in supporting education, voting rights for all Idahoans, and, unlike her opponent, Brandon Mitchell, supports our reproductive and health care rights. Mitchell, on the other hand, agrees with the extreme legislation that limits our health care options and has forced many doctors out of our state.

We are supporting Kathy Dawes for Idaho House seat 6B. We need more legislators like her in our government.

Mac Cantrell and Janice Boughton

Moscow

Vote yes on Prop 1

Vote yes on Proposition 1 this November. Why? Because it allows all voters in Idaho to choose the candidates who will be on the ballot each November and can save taxpayer money if a runoff election was necessary. Proposition 1 is modeled after Alaska’s process.

Our current closed system primary only allows voters who are affiliated with a specific party to vote. Primary voter turnout is traditionally quite low, so the candidate chosen for the November ballot is determined by a small fraction of the specific party and excludes the overall electorate.

In open primaries, all candidates for the position are on the ballot. Every voter can vote for a single candidate they like. Only the top four proceed to the November ballot. In this situation, it could be all four candidates are from the same party, the true people’s choice.

Once on the November ballot, the voter will choose their first, second, third and fourth choice for the position.

Ranked choice can save taxpayer money. If none of the candidates in November make the threshold to be elected, there would be no need for a runoff election, because the candidate with the least votes is dropped. Then, based on those voters’ second choice, votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates. This process would be repeated to the third choice if there’s still no clear winner, thus stopping costly runoff elections.

Vote yes on Proposition 1. It streamlines the voting process and may save taxpayer money from costly runoff elections.

Paul Driver

Lewiston

Vote Parker for senate

The Idaho Republican Party is hardly familiar to me these days, so far right it’s nearly unrecognizable, thanks to individuals in the extremist ranks. Many recent Idaho legislative actions under the guise of “freedom” are having the opposite effect of placing restrictions on individual rights as well as curtailing local government functions.

Parker is committed to fighting for women’s reproductive rights. Idaho is losing top-notch medical practitioners and finding it hard to recruit new medical providers, thanks to strict abortion bans enacted by extremists in the Idaho GOP. Julia’s opponent, Sen. Dan Foreman, wants to end all abortions in Idaho, with no exceptions for rape and incest. Extremists also want to ban various contraception methods.

In vitro fertilization, especially vital for couples struggling with infertility issues, could also be on the chopping block. How is it that a small number of mostly male lawmakers continue to enact rules and laws adversely affecting women’s health care? Shouldn’t health care decisions be strictly between women and their physicians?

Idaho’s Senate (and House) needs to moderate a lot. Julia Parker wants very much to help make this happen and will stay focused on important issues, avoiding political tit for tat and promoting civility. She has broad experience working with people of diverse backgrounds and beliefs, from her work as director of nursing at a local care facility to serving as current member of the Moscow City Council.

Please join me in supporting Julia Parker for Senate from District 6 (votejuliaparker.com).

Dan Pierce

Moscow

Vote for Carmela Conroy

Listen up. Don’t miss this chance. We have an unparalleled opportunity to elect someone amazing to the House of Representatives in Washington’s 5th Legislative District. Carmela Conroy is this candidate, and she comes with training as a lawyer, experience as a prosecutor and years serving in the United States Foreign Service.

It is our important outreach arm for building good relationships with other countries of the world. She has served in Japan with Tom Foley, Pakistan, Oslo, Norway and Afghanistan, as well as having other international experiences. With the difficult situations our country faces in the world, her background cannot be duplicated by reading a book. It is unique.

Carmela chose to run for this position because she realizes the importance of her background for these times. Please, please help us all to benefit by this chance to elect a really knowledgeable person to this position.

Please mark your ballot for Carmela Conroy, and mail it on time. Thank you.

Roz Luther

Spokane