Editor:
 
Now that the election is over and after watching the televised election process all over this country, it shows us that we as a nation are far from being a democracy or a democratic republic when it comes to the freedom to vote. The unalienable right to vote has been trampled, suppressed, and manipulated all over the country. We have governors and legislatures making voting rules and laws without due process. We have voting machines owned by those with conflicts of interests. We have people being turned away from polling places because they were at their jobs late and much more. We had hundreds and maybe thousands of people standing in long voting lines for hours. So, there were thousands of people that did not get to vote in Tuesday’s presidential election.  
 
Our nation needs serious election reform. First, spending limits are severely needed. Citizens United needs to be repealed, and Superpacs need to go away. This might help to eliminate nasty campaign ads and special interests buying elections and candidates. It is time that we make Election Day a national holiday. Also, the polls could be open longer as well. We need to celebrate our right to vote with a special day-off to express this special freedom. No obstruction, no manipulation, no suppression, and no bad voting laws and rules.  
 
We need open primaries in Colorado. Registered independent voters represent 30-40 percent of the registered voters in Colorado. We need to change or fix the rules in this state and end the discrimination against independents participating in the election process ASAP.
 
Let the 2012 election be the lesson for the future. Let’s move forward and work together to make these changes to preserve and protect one of our most treasured Constitutional rights — the right to vote.

Randy Fricke
New Castle