By Dennis Box, The Courier-Herald

When Gov. Gary Locke used a partial veto to block the Louisiana style top-two primary system - giving this state a Montana-style primary - an already confusing issue jumped into absolute chaos.

Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn, was one of the prime sponsors of the bill Locke vetoed.

"We don't know what will happen," Roach said. "It's not done yet. I'm disappointed with the governor's veto."

Washington's coveted blanket primary was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year. This left the state Legislature with the task of coming up with another solution.

Roach chairs the Senate's Government and Operations Committee, which was the principle group in the Senate working on the primary bill.

"I feel the bill we put together was constitutional," Roach said. "With the top-two system, the voters wouldn't have seen that much of a change. But the governor felt otherwise."

Roach stated her preference for the top-two system - where the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party affiliation - advance to the general election.

The Montana primary, where a voter must select a party ballot, was written into the bill as a safeguard against a section veto by the Locke.

"No one knows where this will go," said Rep. Dan Roach, R-Bonney Lake. "The (Washington) Grange, the parties and other groups will probably file a lawsuit. No one knows exactly if the lawsuits will happen or how fast. We could end up with the Montana or what California had last year, a big mess."

Pierce County Auditor Pat McCarthy stated getting clear information out will be a top priority of her office - once the information is known for certain.

"We will probably know more in a couple of weeks," McCarthy said. "It's going to be challenging. Folks are going to be confused. If people get four ballots, a Democrat, a Libertarian, a Republican and a non-partisan, what are they going to do? It is incumbent on us to develop a strategy to maintain voter confidence. Other states do it, we can do it."

Sen. Roach feels if people must chose a party to vote in the primary, and the political parties have access to list of people and their preferences, it will put a damper on voter turnout and the types of candidates running for office.

"I think you will see fewer grassroots people running," Roach said. "People will be hand selected from the parties."

Rep. Roach noted party leaders were adamant about adopting a system where people chose a party.

"That's the biggest thing with the parties," Roach said. "Chris Vance (Washington state Republican Party chairman) came out strong. It's list-building. The parties want control of the names. I think people are leery about getting on a list."

Both Sen. Roach and Rep. Roach stated people in the 31st District are welcome to call their offices to get more information. The senator's number is 360-786-7660 and her home number is 253-735-4210. Rep. Roach's office number is 360-786-7846.

More information will soon be available at the Pierce County Auditor's Web site at www.piercecountywa.org/pc/abtus/ourorg/aud/default.htm.

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com