There’s a lot to dislike about Proposition 1. 

One half of the initiative, ranked choice voting, is confusing, error-riddled, and nearly impossible to audit. The other half, open primaries, would undo much of the progress conservatives have made in the Legislature in the past few election cycles. 

But, there’s something far darker, and more insidious involved in this proposal. 

Proposition 1 would allow candidates for office to lie to you on your election ballots. 

At a time when Americans’s trust in government is reaching historic lows, Proposition 1 would drive things lower. 

The long ballot title, as outlined by the Idaho Secretary of State’s office, show exactly how: 

FIRST, THIS MEASURE WOULD ABOLISH IDAHO’S PARTY PRIMARIES. UNDER CURRENT LAW, POLITICAL PARTIES NOMINATE CANDIDATES THROUGH PRIMARY ELECTIONS IN WHICH PARTY MEMBERS VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE TO REPRESENT THE PARTY IN THE GENERAL ELECTION. THE INITIATIVE CREATES A SYSTEM WHERE ALL CANDIDATES PARTICIPATE IN A TOP-FOUR PRIMARY AND VOTERS MAY VOTE ON ALL CANDIDATES. THE TOP FOUR VOTE-EARNERS FOR EACH OFFICE WOULD ADVANCE TO THE GENERAL ELECTION. CANDIDATES COULD LIST ANY AFFILIATION ON THE BALLOT, BUT WOULD NOT REPRESENT POLITICAL PARTIES, AND NEED NOT BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARTY THEY NAME. 

Did you catch that? If not, allow us to highlight the problem for you. 

“Candidates could list any affiliation on the ballot, but would not represent political parties, and need not be associated with the party they name.” 

While this may be a necessary component of the top four primary system, it would allow for rampant dishonesty among candidates. 

The backers of this proposition are wrong, but they aren’t dumb. They know Idaho is trending more conservative by the day, and they realize that left-wing ideas and candidates will never win elections. 

So, they want to rig the game so their left-wing darlings can fly under the radar and get elected. 

At a time when trust in government is at an all-time low, voters should be incredibly skeptical of efforts to introduce structural dishonesty into the elections process.