In short, NO!

I'm a big believer that there are three topics that should remain either in private or within the confines of a very small, select circle of people. Religion, Sex, and Politics. I am also one who tries to avoid open conversations about politics. But this topic actually has me annoyed.

There have been some commercials running by a Texas political figure that is encouraging voters, mainly Republican, to vote straight-ticket in the primaries.

This, according to some researchers, is not a good idea. And I agree. Why is this?

Most voters who vote straight ticket don't know who are they are voting for and what their stance is, and one report even states that some don't even look at the names of those running. This is scary stuff.

Think of that for a moment. Simply because this candidate was affiliated with a party, he automatically received one-fourth of all the votes, sight unseen.

 

It didn’t matter that he was tainted by scandal or that members of his party opposed him. Thousands of voters gave him a free vote purely on the basis of his party affiliation.

If you vote straight ticket, and it doesn't matter what your party affiliation is, you might be voting for someone who doesn't share your same interests or views, and that could be a very bad thing.

I'll admit that I've voted for Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and even Independents, all on the same ballot. But never have I gone straight ticket.

Here's another good point from The Deseret News:

But by doing this, voters entrust their votes entirely to the vetting process of the political party. If a candidate made it through that, then no matter what misdeeds he or she covered up or levers he or she pulled to get the party’s nod, he or she gets that person’s vote — even if that person knew nothing about that race.

Straight-ticket voting doesn’t just allow unfit candidates to get automatic votes. It gives partisans from all major parties a built-in edge over independents, discouraging them from running.

Research candidates and learn about both sides; you might be surprised that your party, whichever it may be, might not have your best interesting at heart.

But the one piece of good news is that straight-ticket voting in Texas ends in 2020, just in time for the next round of presidential fun.

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