July 24, 2000 -- The Washington State Grange, whose initiative drive back in 1934 first established the blanket primary system in Washington, is disappointed in a recent ruling by the United States Supreme Court which found that state's primary system, modeled closely after Washington's, was unconstitutional.

Initiative 2, put before the people of Washington State by the Grange in 1934 and passed into law by the Legislature the following year, was a reaction to the strong feeling of Grange members and most residents of Washington State that the political party they belonged to was their own business and should not be used to force them into voting for only candidates within that party. The blanket primary puts candidates from all parties on one ballot, and citizens are allowed to choose the candidates they desire most for political positions without regard for the party. The top candidate from each party then moves on to the general election.

Washington State Attorney General Chris Gregoire on July 20 announced it is the opinion of her office that the blanket primary system now in place in this state, a system that has been in place for 65 years, is indeed unconstitutional because it "conflicts with the decisions of the two major political parties about which voters they will choose to have participate in the selection of their nominees in future primaries."

An impending lawsuit by the Washington State Democratic Party was put on hold the same day, due to efforts by the Attorney General and Secretary of State Ralph Munro's office. Munro has said his office will hold open house meetings throughout the state to get an idea of how the people of Washington feel about the primary system they have used for the past six and a half decades and how they feel about any changes in that system.

This means the September 2000 primary election will take place as it has for the past 65 years. After that, the parties may either work through the legislature to institute changes in the system or go through the courts as the Democratic Party did in California.

"Initiative 2 was truly an initiative by the people and for the people," said Washington State Grange Master Terry Hunt. "Washington State's primary election process has proceeded unopposed for 65 years. It is a shame that action taken by the state of California could jeopardize this state's citizens' freedom of choice. It is especially disturbing that a mandate by the people could so easily be thrown away, not just in the case of California, but right here in Washington, and 65 years after the fact."

Hunt strongly encourages everyone who favors the primary system this state has enjoyed for so many years to initiate a letter-writing and phone call campaign. Contact your state legislators and tell them how you feel about this issue. If enough of an uproar is created, Hunt feels the parties, who are protecting their own interests by attacking the blanket primary rather than protecting the freedoms, wishes and interests of their constituents, could realize changing the system would do them more harm than good.

"The Grange was instrumental in establishing the open primary, and we will be active through this next legislative session to see to it the right to choose remains with the citizens of Washington and is not lost to the interests of any other entity," said Hunt.