At the end of a drawn out primary election season, we have witnessed the rare event of all states votes counting when choosing a candidate to run for president—well at least if you are a Democrat. It has been great to see people register and come out to vote in the primaries, because they finally feel like their vote is being counted.
I think it is time to revamp the primary election process. If the parties are representing the people then it should allow all people to vote to choose the candidate that they wish to run for office. I understand why the primary process was first spread out over time. Before the advancements in technology it was important to allow the candidates to travel from place to place and give people their platform. This is no longer necessary.
Today we live in a time when information can be transferred quickly and easily over the Internet and television stations. It is possible to learn about a person’s political platform and many other aspects without hearing them in person. While many would argue that this would make politics much more impersonal, I argue that it would make it much more accessible to most Americans. It would also encourage many more people to vote.
I propose that the states divide themselves up into three groups that vote within three weeks of each other. The candidates for each party can run television ads, or simply set up a website. The news media can cover the issues and candidates with three or four national debates that are available on network television or the Internet.
While many may argue that it is more expensive to run a national ad campaign and website than visiting in person, in the long run it will be much more cost effective. Travel can be expensive, and the Internet allows those with less money to effectively reach people as well. Additionally avoiding the long drawn out process will help to keep the topics and real concerns fresh in the minds. More attention will be paid to issues instead of campaign strategies in the news media. Also more people will vote, because their vote does matter. Nothing is more frustrating than realizing a candidate you do not care for has been chosen before you even had a chance to vote. So what do you think?
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