Letter: Straight-party ticket: Take time to find out about each political candidate

Published: Tuesday, Nov. 20 2012 12:00 a.m. MST

Voters in Herriman line up to cast their votes Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 at Butterfield Elementary school.

Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Summary

Long lines and a feeling a patriotism didn't surprise me on Election Day — but a simple button on my ballot did: Vote a straight ticket. With one touch on the screen, I could let party politics make all my decisions.

Seeing this disturbed me and got me thinking: How much do we really think as voters, and how much do we allow loyalty to party to dictate our opinions?

I try to evaluate each candidate as an individual — regardless of party. To my knowledge, no party has yet mastered the art of cloning. Therefore, voting for a party doesn't ensure you'll get a candidate you can trust or agree with.

If you've carefully evaluated each candidate and still want to vote a straight ticket, that's fine with me. But don't forgo learning about each candidate's differences and platforms, trusting blindly in a political party.

Sierra Wilson

Provo

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IndependentLiberal

Salt Lake City, UT

I have been an independent liberal all my life, my first election was McGovern/Nixon, and I moved to Utah shortly after. The writer implores people to not vote straight ticket, and to try and determine what each candidate represents. After voting More..

9:54 a.m. Nov. 20, 2012
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Sandy, UT

Ban straight party voting. Force us all to vote for individuals. A good place to start for a true democracy.

12:35 p.m. Nov. 20, 2012
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LDS Liberal

Farmington, UT

One button - Straight Party voting.

Perfect for Single Party, Totalitarian Regimes such as Nazi Germany, Communist China, North Korea, Iran and Cuba.

Utah is only one [Repblican dominated closed door legislative meeting] step More..

10:34 a.m. Nov. 20, 2012
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