Voters Guide a great tool for voter and candidate

I had been looking forward to the Bucks County Herald’s public service publishing of the guide compiled by the League of Womens Voters of Pennsylvania, and its comprehensive information for all candidates appearing on Bucks County ballots in November.

I am a registered Independent, or Third Party voter. According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, there are 1,308,000, or 15% of the 8,795,000 Pa. registered voters not registered as Republican nor Democratic. In Bucks County, 36,900 or 18% of the registrants are not registered with either of the two major parties.

I and most other third party registrants nearly always vote for candidates running as a Republican or a Democrat, frequently “cross ballot.” This is evidenced as an example, by the fact that only once in the past five presidential elections, 20 years, has the total consolidated Pennsylvania third party vote exceeded 1.5% of total Pa. votes cast according to the Pa. Department of State.

As it relates to my seeking candidate information, I press “fast forward” through political television commercials; I keep my eyes on the road, (not lawn signs) while driving, nor tailgate to read bumper stickers; and I don’t search for televised debates, of which there are few, if any. The 10-page Voter Education Guide conveniently provides information, gathered with an organized and consistent structure for all candidates, and an opportunity for candidates to reach out and spend time in the homes of voters “conversing” with content.

Wanting to learn more about two candidates, one for each of the two most important elections in recent history, and which are among those most closely watched nationally, I was quite surprised and disappointed that Mehmet Oz, candidate for Pa. Senator of the United States, provided “No response to questions.”

There was no information about Education, Qualifications, Website; nothing. All I know about Oz is what I knew before. He either had, or has had, a television show, and apparently (?) resides in New Jersey.

The brevity with which Douglas V. Mastriano provided his responses left a vacuum for me. His military career is impressive, but does he have qualifications aligned with the governorship of Pennsylvania?

The Voter’s Education Guide is a great tool for the voter, and for the candidates. For the 36,000 registered Bucks County voters not joined at the hip with either of the two major parties, it is an ideal resource.

Terry Hueneke, New Hope

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