Via SacBee: California voters approve revolutionary "open" primary
Disgruntled California voters have blown up their election system by approving Proposition 14, which tosses out the current political party-based primary system in all but presidential races.
The measure was far ahead in early returns, with about 60 percent of votes in favor and 40 against with more than 12 percent of precincts reported.
Backed strongly by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Proposition 14 called for a new "open" primary, in which all candidates for an office - except those in presidential primaries - appear on a ballot given to voters regardless of party registration.
Under the system - which Washington state has already adopted - the top two vote-getters who emerge from a primary square off in a general election, even if they are from the same political party.
That revolutionary approach doesn't bother Jason Olson, director of Independent Voice, a group that backed Proposition 14.
The group contends that with an open primary, more decline-to-state voters - 20 percent of California's registered voters - would turn out for primary elections.
"We don't want to be confined by the parties when it comes to who we decide we want to vote for," Olson said.
Right now, if independents want to vote in a California Democratic or Republican primary, they can request one of those party's ballots.
Olson and other supporters of Proposition 14 said the measure would lead to more moderates running for office. The typical system, they said, produces politicians loath to negotiate and take positions that might alienate bedrock Democratic or Republican primary voters.
Supporters also said a top-two system would help minor parties advance candidates.
But that is not the position of California's major parties, the Democratic and Republican, nor the smaller Green, Libertarian and Peace and Freedom parties.
They all oppose the top-two system, arguing it limits voters' choices in a general election.
John Burton, chairman of the California Democratic Party, said the system "makes for mischief," and would disappoint voters by forcing parties to pour more money into elections to appeal to a range of voters in primaries.
Open primaries give candidates more freedom in identifying themselves and mislead voters, Burton said. He said "it's a serious thought" that the Democratic Party might file a lawsuit if it passes.
Republican Party spokesman Rob Griffith said suing "isn't the Republican Party way of doing things," but that the party also believes voters' choices would be limited.
According to the nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles, about one-third of all California's legislative and congressional district races could end up with two candidates from the same party - mostly Democrat - as rivals in general elections.
Categories: 2010 ballot initiatives , Election
Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2010/06/california-vote-1.html#ixzz0qKPG59nk
The measure was far ahead in early returns, with about 60 percent of votes in favor and 40 against with more than 12 percent of precincts reported.
Backed strongly by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Proposition 14 called for a new "open" primary, in which all candidates for an office - except those in presidential primaries - appear on a ballot given to voters regardless of party registration.
Under the system - which Washington state has already adopted - the top two vote-getters who emerge from a primary square off in a general election, even if they are from the same political party.
That revolutionary approach doesn't bother Jason Olson, director of Independent Voice, a group that backed Proposition 14.
The group contends that with an open primary, more decline-to-state voters - 20 percent of California's registered voters - would turn out for primary elections.
"We don't want to be confined by the parties when it comes to who we decide we want to vote for," Olson said.
Right now, if independents want to vote in a California Democratic or Republican primary, they can request one of those party's ballots.
Olson and other supporters of Proposition 14 said the measure would lead to more moderates running for office. The typical system, they said, produces politicians loath to negotiate and take positions that might alienate bedrock Democratic or Republican primary voters.
Supporters also said a top-two system would help minor parties advance candidates.
But that is not the position of California's major parties, the Democratic and Republican, nor the smaller Green, Libertarian and Peace and Freedom parties.
They all oppose the top-two system, arguing it limits voters' choices in a general election.
John Burton, chairman of the California Democratic Party, said the system "makes for mischief," and would disappoint voters by forcing parties to pour more money into elections to appeal to a range of voters in primaries.
Open primaries give candidates more freedom in identifying themselves and mislead voters, Burton said. He said "it's a serious thought" that the Democratic Party might file a lawsuit if it passes.
Republican Party spokesman Rob Griffith said suing "isn't the Republican Party way of doing things," but that the party also believes voters' choices would be limited.
According to the nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles, about one-third of all California's legislative and congressional district races could end up with two candidates from the same party - mostly Democrat - as rivals in general elections.
Categories: 2010 ballot initiatives , Election
Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2010/06/california-vote-1.html#ixzz0qKPG59nk
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