Gray Column: Changing our primary colors

Normally California doesn't lead the way on too many things worth talking about. But last Tuesday, Californians did something Virginians should think about when it comes to political primaries.

Both Virginians and Californians went to the polls to select Democratic and Republican nominees for the November general elections. But in California, there was another issue on the ballot.

Californians also voted to effectively end their political party primary system. Proposition 14 will create what can only be described as a "super primary" where all candidates from all parties run in the same primary. The top two vote getters, regardless of party, would then run against each other in a November general election.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger described this as an effort to end partisanship. He believes partisanship is costing the state in leadership on budget and education issues. California's state legislature is engaged in budget battles where partisanship has caused an impasse making compromise a thing of the past.

So why should Virginians care about all of this? Simply put because of the number seven.

That is the percentage of voters that showed up for the congressional primaries in Prince William County last Tuesday. Granted we aren't facing the same dire budget doom Californians are facing, but when only seven percent of eligible voters show up for congressional primaries, it does explain the ineffectiveness we see in Congress right now. Not to mention that seven percent is an anemic number for selecting a future member of Congress.

I'm sure there are many reasons why people didn't show up.

Perhaps some voters just give up. They think their vote doesn't make a difference. Or perhaps some voters are fed up. They think voting only encourages politicians to keep doing what they are doing. Or perhaps some of us were just too busy, thinking voting in a primary is not only at the end of my to do list, it's below it.

All of these sound like what they are: excuses. But more importantly, it reveals our disinterest in the current primary system and the reason why our Congress causes many of the frustrations Californians are seeing with their own state legislature.

That should concern us all considering the number of serious challenges this country faces. Primaries are suppose to serve a purpose: to debate and discuss serious issues and select the person from each political party best qualified and able to articulate the solutions he or she has.

Considering that Virginia doesn't register voters by party, technically making all Virginians independent voters, primaries should show us all the best that each side has to offer.

Instead, what voters end up with is a mailbox full of trash -- the typical blast of lies, distortions and misquotes to try to prove that one candidate, the one doing the trashing, is a better and a more morally upstanding person than everyone else.

No wonder only seven percent of the voters showed up.

And that explains why Virginia might need a proposition 14 here. In such a system candidates wouldn't be able to waste our time with silly mailers. They would be too busy trying to tell us about themselves and where they stand on issues.

What a novel thought to have to focus on issues rather than opponents!

One other parting thought.

We often hear politicians talk about giving the power back to the people, which I always considered reverse thinking. Voting actually is us giving politicians the stewardship of power. Perhaps a super primary system would remind our politicians and the whole political system of this.

Opening up the primary process to everyone at the same time wouldn't appeal to party loyalist in the Democratic and Republican Party structure.

Maybe that's exactly the reason why Virginia should study the idea and give it strong consideration in the future. We wouldn't want to find ourselves like California, doing it out of desperation and frustration.

Davon Gray works in Washington, D.C., and resides in Woodbridge. Contact him at davongray@verizon.net.