This letter appeared in yesterday's (March 4) Tribune.
LET PARTIES RUN THEIR OWN ELECTIONS
You recently published a letter from Ernest Hancock, Arizona (sic) Libertarian Party Chairman, explaining his position on the release of personal information of Arizona voters on the Internet.
I don't think his letter hit hard enough (Say, what? Ernie? ;) on the fundamental question why the Arizona secretary of state should be involved at all in the business of political parties.
Certainly, the state has a vested interest in controlling who is eligible to vote in general elections. But they don't need to know your political affiliation or philosophy to that. The only reasons to declare a party affiliation when registering to vote is participation in primary elections.
The choice to "join" a political party is strictly voluntary. Those who identify themselves as a Democrat, a Libertarian, or a Bull Moose is nobody's business but that person and the party officials. Let the parties run their own primary elections (or caususes, or lotteries) to select candidates as they see fit.
Stop using taxpayer money to operate a system that benefits the entrenched "mainstream" parties. Not only does this stop the state from gathering personal information about your political beliefs, but it would end the debate over "open" or "closed" primaries.
If one wants to vote in the Republican primary, join the party. In fact, if the party doesn't have rules that prohibit you from belongin to more than one party, join them all!
Curt Wooley
Mesa