Sept. 18, 2000 -- The Washington State Grange is urging everyone concerned about the status of the blanket primary in the state of Washington to attend a series of public meetings in late September, where the Secretary of State’s office is going to provide the public with several options when it comes to a primary election process and take your feedback to the legislature this winter to try to hammer out an agreement that works for both the public and this state’s political parties.

"We want to avoid the impression that the blanket primary is unconstitutional and the only thing we can do is go to a closed primary," said Assistant Secretary of State Donald Whiting. "There is nothing illegal about the blanket primary. If they (the political parties) all said ‘this is what we want,’ we wouldn’t have to change anything at all."

The blanket primary, which has been in place in this state for 65 years, was considered unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in a recent decision where the California Democratic Party sued the state over the primary, which was closely modeled after our own and was passed by initiative in California a few years ago.

"We want to get at least 25 Grange members at each of these meetings," said State Master Terry Hunt. "Initiative 2, which started the blanket primary and was spearheaded by the Washington State Grange in 1934, was truly an initiative by the people and for the people. Washington State’s primary election process has proceeded unopposed for 65 years. It is a shame that action taken by a group in the state of California could jeopardize this state’s citizens’ freedom of choice."

PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE BLANKET PRIMARY MEETING SCHEDULE:

Thurs., Sept. 21, 7 p.m., Vancouver Community Library, Library Hall, 1007 E. Mill Plain

Fri. Sept. 22, 1 p.m., Aberdeen City Hall, Council Chambers, 200 E Market, Aberdeen

Mon. Sept. 25, 1 p.m., Yakima County Courthouse, Rm. 240, 128 N 2nd St., Yakima

Mon. Sept. 25, 7 p.m., Fowler Bldg., Ste. B, 1766 Fowler St., Richland

Tues. Sept. 26, 1 p.m., Grant Co. Courthouse, Commissioners Chambers, 35 C St. NW, Ephrata

Tues. Sept. 26, 7 p.m., Spokane City Hall, Council Chambers, W. 808 Spokane Falls Blvd.

Wed. Sept. 27, 7 p.m., Whatcom Co. Courthouse, Council Chambers, 311 Grand Ave., Bellingham

Thurs. Sept. 28, 7 p.m., Bellevue Community College, Rm. N 201, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE, Bellevue

Fri. Sept. 29, 1 p.m., House Hearing Rm. A, John L. O’Brien Bldg., Olympia

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