Primary elections as now conducted in Utah should be abolished. Political party candidates in Utah, where open primaries and runoff elections are not held, should be selected by the delegates attending the respective county and state conventions. Balloting among candidates should continue, with the least-scoring candidate removed from the ballot until a winner can be declared.
There are no Republicans, Democrats or members of other parties in Utah who are registered as such on any county or state records, as they are in Colorado and other states. Yet government funds are used in every designated primary election to help the private political parties select their candidates.This means that tax monies paid by non-party members and minor party members are used to select Republicans and Democrats for all who wish to do so, to vote on in the general election.
The cost to governments of primary elections in Utah is too great to let this waste of money continue. Moving the voting date around is not the problem. The small voter turnout represents the true number of Republicans and Democrats in Utah who are willing to stand up and be counted. Why should 84 percent of the eligible voters pay for the 16 percent's little party?
Thomas O. Breitling
Holladay