Primary Ruling

* Thanks a lot, U.S. Supreme Court. You’ve taken away my vote and the votes of thousands of other Californians who are in a similar situation (June 27). As a life-long Republican in a heavily Democrat district (or vice versa), my vote was wasted in partisan primary elections. A few months ago, however, the blanket primary allowed me to cast a ballot that helped to remove an entrenched congressman in our local district.

I’ve always felt that a basic strength of American democracy has been to have two competitive parties that include voters from all shades of the political spectrum. If it weren’t for the conservative Democrats, the moderate Republicans and the nonpolitical middle-of-the-roaders, our country could suffer from cataclysmic changes whenever there is any political shift in power.

The blanket primary was a way to keep us on a more central political course. But now the Supreme Court has made a political ruling against the wishes of the people of California.

LEE HAYASHI

San Gabriel