Showing posts with label partisan primaries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label partisan primaries. Show all posts
Monday, May 09, 2011
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Washington: The "Top Two" Primary is On
My friend and state party primary expert Steve Rankin points out that in the matter of the recent US Supreme Court decision to uphold a voter-approved "Top-Two" Washington state primary (Ballot Access News), that the Washington Libertarian Party (as well as the Dems, and not just the Repubs) had also brought a lawsuit against the voter initiative that created an open "top two" primary."
From Peter Callaghan's column in The News Tribune on Thursday:
Don’t blame the Washington State Grange for changing that. Don’t blame the voters, either. We have the top two primary because it was the best we could do given the court rulings that resulted from lawsuits brought by the parties. It took a ballot initiative to break the hold the two parties had over the Legislature and then-Gov. Gary Locke.
That said, the new system may actually be better for politics in Washington than the pick-a-party or the blanket primary system. That’s because party-driven redistricting has created mostly safe districts.
And from Tracy Warner of the Wenatchee World, a bit of history:
They scoffed in 2004 when the state Grange, the prairie populists, floated an initiative to create a new primary system, so similar to the beloved blanket primary that the ballots would be indistinguishable. This primary, however, would not choose a party nominee. On this ballot, party affiliation would be reduced to a generic label vaguely indicating political leanings. This would be a runoff. The two most popular candidates advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation or preference.
The initiative was wildly popular, of course, and of course the parties immediately filed suit to crush it, won an injunction to prevent it from being tried, and prevailed in early court rulings. They scoffed all the way to the United States Supreme Court, which Tuesday handed them their reward. It was a surprising 7-2 vote, not even close. The voters, not the political parties, won the day, and will have their way. The top-two primary is on....
Two cheers for the independence of Washington state voters!
From Peter Callaghan's column in The News Tribune on Thursday:
Don’t blame the Washington State Grange for changing that. Don’t blame the voters, either. We have the top two primary because it was the best we could do given the court rulings that resulted from lawsuits brought by the parties. It took a ballot initiative to break the hold the two parties had over the Legislature and then-Gov. Gary Locke.
That said, the new system may actually be better for politics in Washington than the pick-a-party or the blanket primary system. That’s because party-driven redistricting has created mostly safe districts.
And from Tracy Warner of the Wenatchee World, a bit of history:
They scoffed in 2004 when the state Grange, the prairie populists, floated an initiative to create a new primary system, so similar to the beloved blanket primary that the ballots would be indistinguishable. This primary, however, would not choose a party nominee. On this ballot, party affiliation would be reduced to a generic label vaguely indicating political leanings. This would be a runoff. The two most popular candidates advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation or preference.
The initiative was wildly popular, of course, and of course the parties immediately filed suit to crush it, won an injunction to prevent it from being tried, and prevailed in early court rulings. They scoffed all the way to the United States Supreme Court, which Tuesday handed them their reward. It was a surprising 7-2 vote, not even close. The voters, not the political parties, won the day, and will have their way. The top-two primary is on....
Two cheers for the independence of Washington state voters!
Friday, August 24, 2007
Steve Rankin: The Louisiana Election System and Partisan Primaries
Steve Rankin (who publishes on Y'all Politics) comments:
Louisiana is the only state that has nonpartisan elections for all of its state officials: all candidates run in the same election. The state, which alone has also used that system for its congressional elections, is restoring party primaries for those elections, starting in 2008.
Louisiana's Republicans are allowing only Republicans to vote in GOP congressional primaries. Louisiana Democrats have not yet said whether they will invite independents to vote in Democratic congressional primaries. "... the Legislature allowed the political parties to determine whether they would allow independent voters to participate in the closed party primary." The legislature had no choice, since, in 1986, the U. S. Supreme Court gave parties the right to invite independents to vote in their primaries.
Mississippi Republicans say that they will keep ALL GOP primaries open to ALL voters-- regardless of the outcome of the Democrats' lawsuit. The Democrats, in contrast, have indicated that they will invite independents but block Republicans from voting in Democratic primaries.
Louisiana has had party registration since 1916.
Louisiana is the only state that has nonpartisan elections for all of its state officials: all candidates run in the same election. The state, which alone has also used that system for its congressional elections, is restoring party primaries for those elections, starting in 2008.
Louisiana's Republicans are allowing only Republicans to vote in GOP congressional primaries. Louisiana Democrats have not yet said whether they will invite independents to vote in Democratic congressional primaries. "... the Legislature allowed the political parties to determine whether they would allow independent voters to participate in the closed party primary." The legislature had no choice, since, in 1986, the U. S. Supreme Court gave parties the right to invite independents to vote in their primaries.
Mississippi Republicans say that they will keep ALL GOP primaries open to ALL voters-- regardless of the outcome of the Democrats' lawsuit. The Democrats, in contrast, have indicated that they will invite independents but block Republicans from voting in Democratic primaries.
Louisiana has had party registration since 1916.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Oregon legislature
The combination of special interests and partisan caucus politics is not a pretty sight.... (State Sen. Frank Morse in Corvallis Gazette Times)
Sunday, March 04, 2007
California: The Decline to State
Nonpartisan rule a dilemma for GOP, by LISA VORDERBRUEGGEN ( Contra Costa Times)
...Back in 1970 when 95 percent of California voters were registered as Republicans or Democrats, no one cared what nonpartisan voters did.
Today, the percentage of voters who identify with either party has dropped to 76 percent, with decline to state voters making up nearly 19 percent of the electorate. In some counties, such as Alameda and San Francisco, nonpartisan voters outnumber Republicans....
...Back in 1970 when 95 percent of California voters were registered as Republicans or Democrats, no one cared what nonpartisan voters did.
Today, the percentage of voters who identify with either party has dropped to 76 percent, with decline to state voters making up nearly 19 percent of the electorate. In some counties, such as Alameda and San Francisco, nonpartisan voters outnumber Republicans....
Friday, March 02, 2007
Idaho: Independent leader Mitch Campbell speaks out in opposition to closed primaries
Idaho’s Closed Primaries Bill: Why It’s a Con
By Jill Kuraitis, New West Politics ...Citizen Mitch Campbell from Twin Falls testified that he, along with about 37% of all Idaho voters, are independent of political parties. “Apparently you know we’re there, but you don’t know who we are. I don’t see anyone in this room who represents the independent voter. We do have a lot of political swing.”
In fact, independent voters are the deciding group in a great many Idaho elections. It’s baffling that Republicans want to exclude them from voting, since independents nearly always break toward Republicans and ensure their elections. ...
By Jill Kuraitis, New West Politics ...Citizen Mitch Campbell from Twin Falls testified that he, along with about 37% of all Idaho voters, are independent of political parties. “Apparently you know we’re there, but you don’t know who we are. I don’t see anyone in this room who represents the independent voter. We do have a lot of political swing.”
In fact, independent voters are the deciding group in a great many Idaho elections. It’s baffling that Republicans want to exclude them from voting, since independents nearly always break toward Republicans and ensure their elections. ...
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