Readers Cast Their Votes For ‘None Of The Above’

“I’m definitely for ‘none of the above,”’ says Harve Clark of Spokane.

Clark and other readers called or wrote “Bagpipes” to share their reactions to a Western Washington lawmaker’s proposed election reform. Under Rep. Tom Campbell’s bill state voters would be able to vote for “none of the above” in future legislative elections.

“As I understand it, though,” said Clark, “voters would only have the choice on state offices. I believe we should have the option on all offices.

“There should be another requirement. If ‘none of the above’ wins, county commissioners or whoever appoints a person to fill that office should not be able to appoint candidates beaten by NOTA, or ‘none of the above.’

“I believe two recent Spokane elections would have produced significant vote counts for NOTA our mayoral election when Ron Bair ran against Margaret Leonard and the county commissioner race when Steve Hasson ran against Jack Hebner.

“At least,” said Clark, “NOTA does not like cornbread and didn’t escape from the Walk in the Wild zoo.”

But Hope Caprye-Boos of Spokane called the Spanaway Democrat’s plan “an easy way out for people when they’re voting. Although sometimes it is hard to find the person you want to vote for, it would be far worse not to vote for anyone.”

Dean Childre of Spokane thinks Campbell’s idea would be OK with a refinement: “What would make that really work would be if it were applied specifically to the primary and, if a great majority voted on (none of the above), it would force the general election to be postponed until a more viable set of candidates could be picked.”

C.F. Brenton of Spokane recalls a local judicial race between two candidates he says were both unacceptable.

“One had a whole glove compartment full of traffic tickets. He was elected as hopefully the worst of two evils.

“You and I could have got together and found a much more qualified judge than he was, but these qualified people just didn’t want to go through all the hassle of running for office,” Brenton said.

, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.