NPPs Still Shut Out Of The Process

The state of Florida is criticized - often rightfully so - for leading the nation in any number of insanely stupid or mind-boggling events, from political shenanigans in Tallahassee to weird laws on the books to bizarre news stories that have been known to make residents ashamed of living here.

Among the most stupefying of these issues is the state’s insistence on blocking voters from crossing the aisle during primary elections because of phantom write-in candidates who are often nothing more than stooges planted to prevent voting by non-party preference (NPP) or citizens from an opposing party.

In 1998, voters passed a constitutional amendment making a number of changes to the structure of elections in the state. One key change was the institution of an open primary in races where there will be no opponent in the general election; basically, should only Republicans or only Democrats file to run for a specific seat, all voters (regardless of party preference, or even lack thereof) would be allowed to participate in the election process.

But … no sooner did the change become law that both parties figured out a loophole: add a write-in candidate to the mix - someone whose name will not even appear on the general election ballot - and the majority of voters become disenfranchised, because crossing party lines is no longer an option.

The situation is a travesty that considers write-in candidates viable general election opposition, which thereby closing party primaries to outsiders even when the primary race often virtually guarantees the winner in November. In almost all circumstances, write-in candidates are not legitimate candidates. While no-party or minor-party candidates must pay ballot-access fees or collect signatures to get their names on the ballot, write-in candidates do not. Their names will not appear on the ballot. They will be represented only by a blank line.

Lest you think this isn’t a common occurrence, we just need to look at the past three weeks to see its impact in Palm Beach County. By virtue of “write-in” candidates who have magically decided they no longer have any interest in representing “we the people,” a quartet of Democrats have won the general election some 60 days before that general election takes place. Elected to the Florida House of Representative are David Silvers and Al Jacquet. Mack Bernard has been elected to the Palm Beach County Commission. Katherine Waldron has won a seat on the Port of Palm Beach Commission.

The four candidates officially won when write-in candidates who had qualified to run against them in the Nov. 8 general election withdrew from the races. And while they may very well be wonderful people who ultimately represent their constituents effectively, we have a problem with a majority of said constituents never having a say in the process.

For nearly 20 years, both parties have taken advantage of this election law quirk, and while it may benefit their individual candidates, too many voters from both parties are left on the sidelines, unable to exercise their basic constitutional right.

This needs to be fixed, and soon.