Independents want moderate candidates: Your Say

Paste BN's article "Third parties, independents see vote totals erode" is confused by the rise in the number of people registering to vote as independents and a decline in votes cast for third-party or independent candidates in the 2014 midterm elections.

When people register as an independent, many essentially want the freedom to vote for the person they think best qualified for a given office regardless of party, not necessarily to support a third party.

It is critical that this freedom be available during the primaries.

Our present two-party primary system tends to produce the most partisan candidate from both parties. Independents simply want the most moderate choice.

James W. Morrison Jr.; Tucson

Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

Independent candidates are few and far between. However, voters identifying themselves as independent are more than 40%, while the rest are divided pretty evenly between Democrats and Republicans.

Independent candidates smartly know that if they throw themselves into the political fray, they really don't stand a chance.

The only solution to achieve political moderation is to eliminate political parties and get money out of the system.

— Robert Phallan

Many independents talk as though only they know the Founding Fathers' intentions, the true interpretation of the Constitution and what our government can and cannot do to promote the general welfare of our people.

If that were true, they would be gaining votes, not losing them, or else they already would be running things.

— David Williams