KVI’s John Carlson evaluates Washington Legislature House Bill 1932 which would eliminate odd numbered election years where smaller, localized races are held and shift those ‘off-year’ elections to even numbered years with the higher turn-out elections for statewide and Federal positions for government representation.
Carlson says if this bill passes into law in the Democratic Party controlled Legislature and is signed by Gov. Jay Inslee, it would clutter the ballot and take away attention from candidates in smaller campaigns. “Let’s say you’re running for city council. Let’s say you’re running school board. How do you get your message out with all these other races (President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, state governor, state Legislature, statewide office, etc) on the ballot?”, asks Carlson.
Carlson concludes the drawbacks would outstrip any benefits of consolidating Washington elections. He says, “That’s why we break up the elections (now) in to even and odd numbered years so people can cast a more thoughtful vote.”
Washington initiative sponsor, Tim Eyman, testified against HB 1932 this week in the State House of Representatives in Olympia and says if the bill passes, “The voters pamphlet would be a phone book.”
