I'd like to respond to the front page article, "Switching Sides," in The Press recently. The article documents the "tough decision" that Dan English felt he was forced to make, switching his political party affiliation from Democrat to Republican, enabling him to vote for the "most qualified Republican" in the May primary. While I applaud Mr. English's desire to elect the most qualified individuals, I think it's a safe bet that not everyone shares his high degree of integrity.

Open primaries can be manipulated to sabotage one side or the other, thereby electing a weaker candidate in the primary, with the intent to bolster their true party's chances of winning in the general election. The reason Republicans have a closed primary is to ensure election integrity and to ensure that the strongest Republican candidate is selected to run against other parties' candidates in the general election. After all, that's exactly what primary elections are for! This should come as no surprise to Mr. English, especially considering his responsibilities as Kootenai County clerk for so many years.

For Mr. English to purport that Republicans want to suppress voter turnout is ridiculous and unfounded! This nation, under God, is afflicted with apathy, and it disgusts me. That is the reason for low voter turnout, on BOTH sides. And like it or not, we basically have a two-party system. Is it the fault of Republicans that you can't come up with a strong Democrat? It's all about numbers; there are simply more Republicans here than Democrats. It's weird, but I have more Democrat friends here in Idaho than I ever dreamed I would even admit to knowing in California. And I believe it's because we respect each other and listen, and yes, avoid some topics that we agree to just disagree on. When I lived in California, with a vast majority of Democrats, my vote was usually a futile exercise in civic responsibility, just as Mr. English feels his is now. I remedied that problem and got the heck out of Dodge!

The answer is not to sit home and let 24 percent of the electorate make important choices that affect us all. I did not serve this country for 20 years in the United States Navy, nor did so many before and after me, many giving their lives in the name of freedom, to sit at home and not do my part to make it all work. Along with all our freedoms come responsibilities, one being to educate one's self and vote!

Mr. English asserts that the primary election is not a party election. Obviously, the primary is precisely a party election, allowing each party to select their best candidate to run in the general election, as stated earlier. No one is 'forced' to vote one way or the other. And since Republicans outnumber Democrats by so many, contrary to Mr. English's claims, we do pay much more than Dems for the cost of these elections.

I'm sorry Mr. English 'resents' being 'forced' to change his party affiliation and vote for a Republican. Maybe he'd feel more comfortable living in California where he, with Nancy Pelosi, can elect as many Democrats as his stomach (and his wallet) can stand.

Dave Sheldon is a Hayden resident.