The voters’ pamphlet for our 2022 Washington state primary election arrived in our mailbox. The election is to be held August 2.

I opened it up and was surprised to see eighteen people running for the position now held by Senator Patty Murray, including Senator Murray. I cannot recall when this many candidates were contending. It seems a bit much.

The various parties for which the candidates have declared include the usual Democratic and Republican parties, but also: Socialist Workers Party, no party preference, JFK Republican Party, Independent Party, and Trump Republican Party.

The candidates for our representative to the U.S. House include these parties: Democratic, Republican, MAGA Republican Party, no Party Preference, and Conservative Party.

Is the large number of both candidates and parties an attempt to muddy the water so we will give up and not vote? Or perhaps the idea is to spread out the candidates so that current office holders will be overwhelmed and thrust out of office, overtaken by some unknown candidate?

I confess I don’t know, but after listening to this past Tuesday’s congressional hearings on the January 6 2021 riots, I’m more concerned than ever for our serious involvement in voting.