Submitted by Robert B. Winn, Nov 11, 2007 21:45

Political parties are nowhere more concerned than in Arizona where their best and most innovative efforts are coming to nought. In 2005 Governor Janet Napolitano signed into law a Senate bill that had the following effect on independent voter registration.

2000-2002 107,715

2002-2004 165,771

2004-2006 26,483

The legislation in question took the option to register independent off from the Arizona voter registration form leaving only a space designated Specify Party Preference. A party spokesman now on the state committe of his party boasted that the problem of large numbers of Arizonana registering as independent voters had been remedied by a new voter registration form.

However, independent voter registration has increased steadily from its low of 13,000 per year to its present rate of about 40,000 per year, indicating that the best effort of party politicians had but little overall effect on the rate of independent voter registration. Independent voters will shortly surpass either major party in numbers within a few years, which is a good thing.

The parties have misinterpreted the present move toward independence. It is not a move toward political inactivity. It is a move away from party contentions, which the voters rightly see as destructive to good government. The fact that political parties since the election of 1800 have passed a multitude of election laws at state level designed to keep independent voters from running for public office and to give party politicians an exclusive opportunity to be candidates, does not mean that independent voters are going to stay subject to that manner of party corruption forever. Independent voters are already demanding ballot access nationwide, and they will obtain it. When they do, Independent candidates will run against independent candidates, and the parties will reap what they have sown.

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