Not that exercising your rights as Americans and voting in favor of your favorite county, state and federal candidates in November isn’t enough of an incentive to cast ballots. But there is also a good number of initiatives Washingtonians will be faced with as well. Two worth noting concern future primary election voting and the expansion of electronic gaming machines.

While opponents of I-872 say it would virtually kill off third party candidates by allowing only the top two vote getters in the primary to continue on to the general, we feel that partisan politics shouldn’t dictate the polls — voters’ decisions should.

Will having more choices in the primary mean less in the general? In terms of the number of candidates involved, yes, as only two will advance. In terms of viable choices, no.

Currently, unchallenged partisan politicians are often allowed to skate right through September while their opponents are left to duke it out for a slot in November. This would put all candidates on level ground as the election season got underway and create a climate in which the most popular candidates — regardless of whether they are Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians or Independents — advance. To this, opponents claim I-872 will “insulate” the top two political parties from competition.

Not true if a dynamic third party candidate is offered to the voters. While I-872 doesn’t return Washington to it’s pre-2004 voting status, it does revive voters’ choices and impact in the primary elections.

Proponents of Initiative 892 would have us all believe that increasing the number of gambling opportunities — and let’s not sugar-coat it folks, that’s what they are — in Washington is the answer to our property tax problem. We say this: It’s a very risky bet.

This one boils down to something residents in North Kitsap take very seriously — quality of life. Expanding gambling for the sake of lowering property taxes might seem like a winner but more machines and easier access to them will only compound the numerous social problems associated with gambling.

Proponents say I-892 provides permanent funding for gambling problems. It doesn’t, however, offer much in the way of addressing the law enforcement issues that routinely go right along with them. What good are lower property taxes if a poor quality of life has downed our valuations?