It hasn’t gotten a lot of buzz yet, but a proposal in the Iowa House could change how a large chunk of Iowa voters cast their ballots. Rep. Peter Cownie, R-West Des Moines, has proposed doing away with most straight-ticket voting, the practice of voting once for all the people of a particular party on the ballot. The bill cleared a subcommittee last week, and it’s scheduled to come up this week in the House State Government Committee.
Cownie said there’s too much partisanship, and it’s not too much to ask people to know who they’re voting for. “I think an educated voter is a better voter, and this will help them do that,” he said.
Critics of the plan say it would take away a popular way to vote. “It’s a choice. Nobody requires you to vote straight ticket,” Rep. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport, who opposes the measure, said. “I think it’s unfortunate we would take that away from people.”
Full Article: Bill to abolish straight-ticket voting advances in Iowa House.