Given no choice, ballot is empty

Snohomish County opinion
Letters to the editor in Seattle Times

Vote cancellation
Given no choice, ballot is empty

Editor, The Times:

I got my primary ballot in the mail in Snohomish County [recently]. After reading it, I realized I've effectively been disenfranchised for a second year. The ballot clearly states that I cannot favor a person of one party in one race, and a person of another party in another unrelated race or my vote will not be counted.

I select my candidates based on the person I think will do the best job, so there is no way I can vote. I will not be forced to cast votes for people in whom I have no faith and whom I do not support. This makes me very sad. Last year, when this law came into effect, marked the first election in which I had not cast a ballot since I became old enough to vote in 1962.

I consider voting a civic responsibility, but will not allow someone else to tell me for whom I must vote. As long as this new rule remains in effect, I remain disenfranchised.

— Carolyn Grismore, Everett