The July 31 primary, because of our system of partisan elections, did a disservice to voters. By having to declare either Republican or Democratic party affiliations, voters could not select everyone they may have wanted. For example, the Sheriff’s race was on the Democratic ticket while the Bibb County Commission, District 3 was on the Republican ballot. District 3 voters who might have wanted a say in both races could not. The same thing applied in state Senate districts 18 and 26, one Republican the other Democratic. This process is nonsense and it doesn’t have to be that way.

There are several examples. Louisiana uses a nonpartisan blanket primary where everyone is on the ballot and the top two finishers meet in a runoff election. Some states, such as Nebraska, use a nonpartisan primary for its legislature but not for other offices.

Last year, eight elected officials (Bibb County’s solicitor-general, probate judge, district attorney, sheriff, superior court clerk, civil court judge and tax commissioner) asked for local legislation to make their offices nonpartisan. There is no need for any of those positions to be partisan. The sheriff has to arrest Republicans and Democrats. The tax commissioner doesn’t collect money based on party affiliation, and certainly, judges could care less about party when handing down sentences.

So why do we do it? Why do we have party affiliation attached to the above positions and school board seats? In fact, for local positions is there ever a need to be partisan? We think not.