Today is primary day and 3.5 million Flori

Monday, May 10, 2010

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 5/10/10

OPEN PRIMARIES
PROP 14
  • TODAY: Richard Winger to Debate California Lt. Gov. Maldonado on Proposition 14 (Independent Political Report)
  • Editorial: Prop. 14: Open invitation to bland candidates (THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER) When the Democratic and Republican parties agree on a policy matter in California it is often a red flag for liberty-minded voters. But with every rule there is an exception, and this election cycle that exception is Proposition 14, the California Top Two Primary Act, aimed at ending the primary election system as we know it, replacing it with a process that would hinder electoral choices and encourage lackluster, Schwarzenegger-esque candidates. Under Prop. 14, voters could vote for any candidate regardless of party affiliation, a change from the current practice of voting in primaries only for candidates of the party in which you are registered, with a few exceptions. In effect, Prop 14 would create a single open primary. . From there, the top two overall vote getters advance to a runoff general election. This means in some election cycles, depending on the area and voter registration, the general election could yield two Democrats or two Republicans facing off against each other for a single seat, diminishing party roles and clear, decisive policy and philosophical differences between candidates.
  • Editorial: June 8 Primary: Proposition round-up (THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER) 
  • Why Los Angeles should care about Proposition 14 (LA Anti-Establishment Examiner, Charles Nichols)
  • Legislative Lock: Evans, Allen benefit from Wiggins' connections (By DEREK MOORE, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT) Both Allen and Evans are opposed to open primaries, saying they don't want voters from other political parties to have a say in choosing which Democrat goes forward.... Sanders also supports Proposition 14, which would allow for open primaries.
UTAH
COLORADO
  • Democrats See Hopes for West Dim in Colorado (By JEFF ZELENY, NY Times)
  • Brown: A rebel without a party (By Fred Brown, The Denver Post) She is, for now, the only officially unaffiliated member of the Colorado General Assembly. Rep. Kathleen Curry, former Democrat, still of Gunnison, doesn't regret her decision, but sometimes she wonders if both major parties are reluctant to see her succeed... "I'm on the leading edge of this," she said; it's an experiment of sorts to see if an unaffiliated legislator can still get things done for her district. "I truly believe I can," Curry said. "I'm literally plowing new ground here. There's no road map."
KENTUCKY
GOVERNORS RACES
NYC CHARTER REVISION
  • Changing Charter without strings (By Greg David, Crain's New York) In the end, the Charter proposals will likely be on term limits and on nonpartisan elections, to be accompanied by radical changes to encourage more participation. Early voting, mail voting and same-day registration would all make the nonpartisan option more attractive.
  • Charter chair needed convincing (By Tom Wrobleski, Staten Island Advance) “I said, ‘What?’” Goldstein said. “This was not something I was anxious to do since I have an awful lot on my plate to begin with. But I said, ‘Look, if I can be helpful to you, I’d be pleased to do it.’ And I continue to be pleased to do it.”
NEW YORK

3 comments:

Steve Rankin said...

The letter from Rutland, Vermont is about the true open primary, in which each voter picks a party on primary day.

Nancy Hanks said...

Steve, thanks for your comment. I respect your knowledge of state primary systems. BUT, I have to question your use of the term "true open primary". I am familiar with your views, however, in the interest of clarifying for The Hankster audience, you might want to elaborate. Not everyone agrees with your definition.
-NH

Steve Rankin said...

The U. S. Supreme Court and many political scientists agree with my definition, Nancy. So does Richard Winger, publisher of Ballot Access News.

Best regards.

Free Citizen