U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) introduced a bill on Thursday that would end straight-ticket voting in federal elections.
Dent’s home state of Pennsylvania is one of nine states that allow voters to check one box on their ballot to vote for candidates from one party in every election, known as straight-ticket voting.
“One of the greatest frustrations my constituents share with me is the excessive partisan bickering in our political system,” Dent said. “There is no easy fix to this problem, but one solution could be to strengthen participation in our voting system by doing away with single-ticket voting.”
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Dent cosponsored the People Before Party Act, H.R. 4679, to discourage voters from casting ballots for candidates based on party affiliation rather than individual merits.
“Pennsylvania is one of only a small number of states that still gives primacy to the power of political parties over the voters’ right to make candidate by candidate decisions,” Dent said. “This manner of voting discourages voters from making an honest evaluation of each candidate on his or her individual merits and encourages an all-or-nothing decision based purely on party affiliation.”
The nine states that allow straight-ticket voting include Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.
“Individuals who wish to vote a straight party line may certainly continue to do so, but they should not be offered a short-cut or a one-touch workaround from the need to consider their vote for each individual candidate and for each office,” Dent said. “This bill will empower voters to elect thoughtful leaders and reduce the power of the parties.”