I did not vote in the New Jersey Primary.
Why?
I am an Independent.
I refused to be forced or tricked into joining a party in order to be able to vote. My tax dollars pay for the primaries. Most of our elections are decided in the primaries. #LetAllVotersVote
There are 2.4 million unaffiliated voters in our state — more than there are registered as either Republican or Democrat. In Sussex County there are more than 40,000 independents.
We are not complacent, “swing,” or undecided voters. We are not inactive voters. We simply refuse to declare allegiance to a party in order to exercise our right to vote.
Vote by Mail was a great opportunity to invite New Jersey’s independent voters to fully participate. That did not happen.
Instead, independents were mailed an “Application for Vote by Mail Ballot.” That application had to be returned before we could receive a ballot. We had to receive and return the actual ballot by July 7th. Many people did not receive the application in time. Independents that requested a ballot had their registration changed to one of the parties automatically.
It was an undemocratic attempt to trick independents into changing their party registration.
If you care about voter participation, voters’ rights and fair electoral process, support Open Primaries.
One voter, one vote should be the standard, with no party affiliation necessary.
New Jersey practices taxation without representation by barring independent voters from the polls. The time for change is now.
Sincerely,
Sue Davies
Newton