Minor correction on partisan voting
To the Editor:
I would like to offer a small clarification to Ron Rokstool’s fine column last week concerning Rep. Mark Pless’s partisan election bill. While I wholeheartedly agree with his opinion in that piece, at one point he mentions having read a contribution to SMN a while back by a poll worker who “said it was mostly GOP voters that would ask” why there was no party affiliation given in all the elections to make voting easier.
I did work in one of Haywood County’s polls in 2022, and I did write an opinion piece very similar to Mr. Rokstool’s for SMN. But I have gone back and reread my text, and, even though Mr. Rokstool may have assumed correctly (or not!) that some people were looking for an R everywhere, I did not make any indication in that editorial as to which group of voters were focused on just voting party line.
I am extremely proud of how nonpartisan and selfless the volunteers are who work in our voting places. Everyone I have worked with leaves their politics at home and does their very honest best to provide a fully fair election. Everything I’ve witnessed is done by the rules.
So while I may disagree strongly with making some elections partisan, as a poll worker I want to be clear that I say that to every voter, regardless of party. Let’s have good, old rural elections here where you learn about who you are voting for. Can’t we act more like neighbors? That goes for everybody.
Rich Byers
Waynesville
