The Times printed this letter to the editor in reaction to an editorial on appointments to the Federal Election Commission.

We have urged President Obama to appoint one or more independents to the commission. While this would certainly upset the partisans in Congress, it would break the F.E.C.’s gridlock and provide representation to the 35 to 40 percent of the electorate, according to recent polls, who do not identify with any party, but consider themselves independents. They would welcome such a display of nonpartisan leadership by the president.