ARIZONA Coming Soon: Top Two Primary

OPEN PRIMARIES

• New Group Seeks to Implement Top Two Open Primary in Arizona (Poli-Tea)
• NEW OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MAKES THE CASE FOR NONPARTISAN PRIMARIES IN ARIZONA (by Damon Eris, AZIVN) A multi-partisan group of former elected officials is seeking to place a constitutional amendment on the 2012 ballot that would replace Arizona’s current semi-closed primary with a top-two open primary system similar to that which was passed by California voters last year.
• “Top-two” proposal may favor centrist candidates, but critics fear unintended consequences. (by Jeremy Duda, ARIZONA CAPITOL TIMES in Williams Tea Party) Former GOP congressional candidate Paulina Morris and former Arizona Public Service CEO Bill Post are co-chairing the campaign committee with Johnson, while former Republican legislators Carolyn Allen and Bill Konopnicki and former Democratic lawmaker Ted Downing have signed on, as well. The organizers say the top-two primary — they object to the term “jungle primary” — is generally popular with voters and they expect Arizonans to approve the measure if it makes it onto the ballot.