I, too, read Jim Larsen’s article, “Party declaration required to vote,” in the Jan. 16 Whidbey News-Times, and I continue to be appalled and angered over the requirement to declare allegiance to a political party in order to vote in the primary.

I’ve read the explanation of the Supreme Court decision, but it makes no sense to me. How can a political party take precedence over the individual’s right to vote? What this decision has done is make liars out of many of us. My personal political leaning is in that nebulous and unnamed middle ground between Republican and Democrat, hence, I’ve always considered myself an Independent. And I’ve voted on both sides of the political party line throughout my adulthood, choosing the candidate who seemed the most reasonable and capable to me, regardless of his/her political affiliation.

So when I am forced to declare a political party in order to vote in the primary, I have to legally lie and sign my name to that effect. Fortunately for now, when it comes to the general election, we can vote for whomever we want, and we don’t have to lie to do so.

Will the Supreme Court eventually take that right away from us, as well?

Gayle Vyskocil

Burlington