Here we go again. I'm beginning to see the local media encouraging citizens to vote in the Aug. 8 runoff elections. Voter turnout for the last election was a dismal 19 percent. I've been a resident of Peachtree City for just over one year now and have participated in two of the primary elections. Sadly, a fundamental change will need to occur before I'll take the time to study the issues, research the candidates, make my selections and once again go to the polls.

On both prior occasions I've been told I had to select either a Democratic or Republican ballot. I could not vote for those who I believed to be the best candidates but rather had to vote according their political party affiliation. I'm told this only happens in the primary elections and will not occur come November. But by November my choices will be so narrow that it won't matter. The purpose of voting in primary elections is to get the candidates you prefer on the November ballot, but if you can't do that, what's the purpose in voting?

As someone who looks beyond each candidate's political party affiliation when making my selections, this practice seems absurd. And it certainly doesn't encourage me to vote. Nineteen percent? Doesn't surprise me one bit.

Amy Kaiser
Peachtree City

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