Update: CA Proposition 14 - A Question of Democracy and Inclusion of Independent Voters

The latest round-up of news about California's open primary initiative, Proposition 14, which will be on the ballot June 8. Partisans showed their true colors last week with back-room deals and litigation on the ballot wording. Prominent independent attorney Harry Kresky's commentary on HuffPo "Words Matter" sheds lots of light on the nature of our democracy. And Phil Keisling, Oregon's former Sec. of State who went to bat for that state's Measure 65 which would have opened the primaries to voters who don't choose to affiliate with a party, has a neat idea to Reduce Partisanship in today's NY Times. Go Team Open Primaries!

OPEN PRIMARIES

• To Reduce Partisanship, Get Rid of Partisans (By PHIL KEISLING, NY Times)

PROP 14

• Open primary is going back to the future (Daniel Borenstein, Contra Costa Times)
• Editorial: Pérez's next act must be better than his opener (Sac Bee) Pérez was in charge when the Legislature's attorneys engaged in a ham-handed attempt to help a union and the Democratic Party win a suit to water down the open primary initiative, Proposition 14 on the June ballot. The effort largely failed in the courts, but not for a lack of trying.
• New speaker needs to shape up his act (Fresno Bee editorial) 
• Proposition 14 offers mythic solutions for California (San Diego Conservative Examiner, Robert Rische) The problem, however, is Independents already hold all the cards in elections.... Thus, it is hard to understand why this group of voters is continually viewed as being disenfranchised, simply because they choose not to identify themselves with any major party.
• Words Matter: Voters to Get Fair Wording of California Open Primary Initiative (Harry Kresky, Huffington Post)
• California Proposition 14: Rights of People vs. Rights of Parties (The Hankster's post on The Moderate Voice)
• C.A. Orders Slight Change in Proposition 14 Ballot Language (By KENNETH OFGANG, Metropolitan News-Enterprise)
• Open Primary Will Be on Ballot-Court Quashes Attempt to Derail Prop 14. (by NICK WELSH, Santa Barbara Independent)
• California Court of Appeals Upholds Proposition 14 Language (More Good News for Independent Voters) (POSTED BY NANCY HANKS, The Moderate Voice)
• CLARK v. SUPERIOR COURT OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY - Court of Appeals of California, Third Appellate District, Sacramento. (RAYE, J., Leagle.com)
• TAYLOR v. SUPERIOR COURT OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY - Court of Appeals of California, Third Appellate District, Sacramento. (RAYE, J., Leagle.com)