We send our kids to foreign countries to fight for democracy, and we barely practice it here. That must change.

In Charlotte County, our local officials are often elected in primary races. Primaries should be the method for parties to select the best person to represent them in the final race. But here, one party generally runs unopposed, and only registered voters of that party can vote in that primary. It only takes one “write-in” candidate to close a primary to the general electorate.