I agree with Mr. Kohn (letter, April 12) that one should not have to be registered as a member of a major political party in order to vote in a primary on Circuit Court candidates.
However, I did some research and found that the current system of having candidates for this office appear on the primary election of both major parties has been in effect since 1941. That, of course, doesn't mean it can never be changed.
I also learned of a Maryland court ruling in 2007 (Suessman vs. Lamone 383 Md. 697) that "equal protection" was not denied to any voter because they were allowed to register with one of the major parties and chose not to do so. But it's not only "declines" who are left out of this process here. How about the minor party registrants?
I see no reason why we can't vote on Circuit Court judge candidates the same way we vote on Howard County school board candidates. Let's make it so.
Ken Stevens
Columbia
