[EL] straight-ticket devices are discriminatory

[Richard Winger]

I am sorry to see The Nation's Ari Berman celebrating a US District Court decision in Michigan forcing the state to restore the straight-ticket device.  Straight-ticket devices provide artificial advantages to the two major parties relative to independent candidates and minor parties.
The Green Party, according to the evidence, lost a legislative seat in Wisconsin in 2010 because of the straight-ticket device.  Ben Manski won the Assembly election for a Madison seat if only the ballots in which the straight-ticket device was not used were counted.  But when the straight-ticket voters were included, he lost.
Independent candidates for offices below the top of the ballot are especially disadvantaged by a straight-ticket device, because they never have a straight-ticket device. Richard Winger 415-922-9779 PO Box 470296, San Francisco Ca 94147
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