ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, July 24, 1996 TAG: 9607240028
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
AFFILIATION with a political party shouldn't be something a candidate hopes voters might forget or forgive. Yet, in Virginia, it's sometimes regarded like a crazy uncle, best kept away from too much public notice.
Why not identify a candidate on the ballot by party affiliation - if, indeed, the candidate is his or her party's standard bearer, having duly won the party's nomination?
A simple R or D after the candidate's name would do it. The name of a candidate running without a party's label or support would be followed by an I for independent.
Not for one minute, of course, do we believe that Sen. John Warner, R, wants to ``help'' senatorial candidate Mark Warner, D, by having the Nov. 5 ballot designate which Warner is which. Still, the proposal R made to D during their recent debate at the Homestead might prevent a small measure of unnecessary voter confusion.
Unless D believes Democrats benefit from such confusion, he should join R in this call for modest ballot reform. The practice could at least be incorporated for future elections.
Virginia law apparently prohibits designation of candidates, other than presidential candidates, by party. Warner the R suggests that, given two Warners on the ballot, the State Board of Elections might petition a court for the change or otherwise find a loophole.
That's iffy, but R's premise for change is on target. Many states designate candidates by party affiliation to assist voters.
Virginia's ballot rules were enacted before the development of a strong two-party system in the commonwealth. Historically Democrat-controlled, the General Assembly wanted to preserve a distance between conservative Virginia Democrats and the liberal national party.
But if Virginia candidates of either party agree or disagree with the philosophy, programs or policies of their parties' national candidates, they can say so and say why.
Ballot ID by party is not a big need - like campaign finance reform, election-calendar consolidation or conversion to primaries. But there's no good reason not to have it.
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB