Eliminating straight ticket voting

I read three New Hampshire newspapers online daily. No, I don't read every story, just the ones that interest me. Sometimes I only scan the headlines on the web page, sometimes I find a story that really interests me. This morning I found two stories. One was about a local television appearance for a series on The Discovery Channel's show "Dirty Jobs". The other was something I support.

In The Concord Monitor I found the this (click on the link for the full article):

When voters head to the polls next year, one longtime feature of New Hampshire ballots will likely be missing: The option to vote straight ticket.

Yesterday, a bill to eliminate the practice of straight-ticket voting - which allows people to choose all the candidates from a single political party just by checking one box on the ballot - passed its first test when the Senate Election Law Committee recommended that the full Senate do away with the practice. At least 17 of the 24 senators will likely support the bill, along with most House members, Democratic leaders said.

"We believe passionately in a fair ballot, in a comprehensible ballot," said Sen. Peter Burling, a sponsor of the proposal. "We don't take anything away from the voters. We just say: Vote for the people you want."

For decades, Republican majorities in the House and Senate have rejected Democratic-led efforts to eliminate straight-ticket voting. Although Democrats benefited from straight-ticket votes in November's election - winning a majority in the House and Senate - they are still pushing to abolish the practice. And this year, Democratic leaders said, the effort will likely succeed.

Now this is getting scary. I find myself agreeing with Democrats yet again. I don't believe that I am getting more liberal. I believe that the Republicans are getting more and more disagreeable. In this instance, the Democrats just have it right. Vote for who you want, not for a party and a straight ticket. Even if you want to vote for all Republicans, you should still be required to vote for each individual office and candidate.

Straight ticket voting is lazy and irresponsible. If someone is too lazy to take the time to go through a ballot, then they don't deserve to have their vote count.

To the Democrats in New Hampshire pushing the elimination of straight ticket voting, you have my kudos. To the Republicans trying to block that idea, you have my wondering of "what the hell is wrong with you"?