RIESTER

Arizonans—indeed ALL Americans – are clamoring for change in an election process that seems to yield little these days beyond partisan sniping and gridlock. Be it in Washington D.C. or at 1700 W. Washington Street in Phoenix, major issues go unaddressed. Real challenges are not met. More and more voters are turned off by our government institutions and those elected to lead them. Sadly, more and more highly qualified individuals who would serve us well in elected office choose not to run.

Many voters believe our elections are closed affairs offering little choice—and few results.

That is why for the past few months, RIESTER has been honored to work under the direction of a respected group of business and community leaders as they have developed a truly ground-breaking ballot initiative that will be placed before Arizona voters in the November 2012 election.

The Open Government Act will fundamentally change and reform our election process by encouraging more qualified and independent-minded candidates to seek elected office. Candidates guided by common sense, instead of extreme ideology from either side of the political spectrum.

The current primary election system in Arizona, in which only a limited number of voters now participate and are only permitted to cast ballots for the partisan candidates from one party, will be eliminated. Replacing it will be a primary election open to ALL voters and ALL candidates. The top two candidates from that election—regardless of political party—will then face off in the November election.

The result—EVERY voter will be permitted to vote in EVERY election. Voters will have real choices, with candidates who better represent all the people of Arizona rather than just ideology and political parties.

Our task ahead is a big one, from securing the voter signatures, to putting the initiative on the ballot, to conducting the campaign to inform Arizona voters that we can indeed open up our governments in order to better meet our critical needs. As we typically do in ballot measure campaigns we are a part of, we’re putting the full resources of our firm behind this effort.

Of course, we will need lots of help.

Go to our web site at AzOpenGov.org and be one of the first to join our coalition.

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

We’ll stay in touch as we prepare to move forward.

Next year, Arizona celebrates its centennial. In many ways, our state is at a crossroads. Those of us who have taken up this cause are determined to choose a better path as Arizona enters its second century. I hope you will choose to join us.