Can Open Primaries Fix the Two Party System?

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Democrats, prepare for independents' day (By John P. Avlon, CNN Contributor) They determine who wins and loses elections, but independents too often get ignored in the narrow partisan analysis of American politics. It's time for that to change -- and in the run-up to the midterm elections I'll be writing regular columns for CNN.com on the state of independents.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Killer Tomatoes Producer Opens California Primaries to Block Party `Kooks' (By Ben Elgin and Christopher Palmeri, Bloomberg) Having won over California voters, Peace’s movement is going national. New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has impaneled a commission that is, among other things, exploring an open primary initiative for New York City’s November ballot.
• FL: Mark Klingensmith: Write-in tactic works only when parties don’t field candidates (TC Palm) amendment to Florida's Constitution was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 1998 to provide that if all the candidates for an office are in the same party and face no opposition in the general election, then all registered voters will be allowed to vote in the primary. 
• FIX AMERICA? FIX THE POLITICIANS (Dylan Ratigan, Investing Contrarian) Furthermore, the false choice of “Republican” or “Democrat” is keeping some of the best candidates from making it to the general election. If politicians want to align themselves into two Political Parties, that is their right. But the government shouldn’t allow them to hold separate primaries. Hopefully this recent move to open primaries in California will take off across the country.

THIRD PARTIES

• North Carolina U.S. Senate Poll Shows Libertarian at 10% (Ballot Access News)
• South Carolina’s Green Party hoping to benefit from Alvin Greene (By Alex Pappas -- The Daily Caller)
• OR Independent Party launches its primary online (PETER WONG, STATESMAN JOURNAL)

TEA PARTY

• The Tea Party's Legacy Goes Beyond the 2010 Elections (By MARY KATE CARY, US News & World Report) NOTE: This article is really grasping at straws to declare tea partiers as indies...

GEORGIA

• Endorsement and 'thumbs up’ boost candidacy for Georgia governor (By Walter C. Jones, Florida Times Union - Jacksonville) The Georgia Independent Voters spent six weeks deciding which gubernatorial candidate of the 15 running from the three parties should be on the ballot. It came down to two long-shot candidates, Chapman and Democrat Carl Camon. Key to its decision was the candidate most enthusiastic about removing restrictions to independent candidates and third-party candidates getting on the ballot.

NEW YORK

• Mayor Bloomberg’s Secret Weapon (By Reid Pillifant, NY Observer) Bradley Tusk
• Replacing Espada's Vote (Crain's New York/Insider)
• Pedro Espada Blames Cuomo for Party Eviction Push (By Tom Robbins, Village Voice/Runnin Scared)
• Democrats push to oust Pedro Espada; state Sen. under investigation in Bronx, battles Andrew Cuomo (BY KENNETH LOVETT, DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF)
• Senate Dems Move Ahead With Plan To Remove Espada (By: NY1 News Bronx)
• Espada Lashes Out at Cuomo As Democrats Push for His Removal [Updated] (NY Magazine/Daily Intel)

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Non-Partisan Elections Won't Make Ballot in New York City this Fall (By MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL, Wall Street Journal)
• Lining Up on Nonpartisan Elections (Gotham Gazette/Wonkster) Among its 50 recommendations, Citizens Union called for instituting nonpartisan elections, term limits, providing the public advocate and borough presidents with independently funded budgets and giving the Civilian Complaint Review Board the power to prosecute cases.... The proposal also has the enthusiastic backing of the Independence Party, Bloomberg gave $1.2 million to party the last year and — not surprisingly — its endorsement, and line in the mayoral election last year.
• Charter Revision Commission Holds Last Public Forum (BY RICHARD GENTILVISO, Queens Gazette)