Or will the "we'll-tell-you-how-to-run-your-party" Nazis prohibit the pre-primaries? Think about the implications of that, folks.
Gov. Schwarnegger actually supported the top-two primary system in California last election, but CA voters were smart enough not to go for it. I like Arnold, but he was "out to lunch" on that one.
The people who concocted this idea have no clue about the purpose of primary elections. The purpose of primaries, of course, is to allow each party to consolidate its votes behind one candidate.
The fact that a majority was ignorant enough to fall for this scheme in Washington does not bode well for the future of voting systems.
--Russ
Araucaria Araucana araucaria.araucana-at-gmail.com |EMlist| wrote:
On 27 Apr 2005 at 11:22 UTC-0700, Araucaria Araucana wrote:
T> he top-two primary initiative was passed in Washington state last November.
Usually initiatives cannot be overridden for 2 years after passage, except by 2/3 majority in the state house and senate.
But that isn't stopping the parties ...
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_042605WABprimaryEL.2187e8452.html
Could be an opportunity here.
Sorry, registration required. Here is the text:
Dems and GOP seek to throw out 'top-two primary'
05:54 PM PDT on Tuesday, April 26, 2005
By ROBERT MAK / KING 5 News
SEATTLE -- A new legal battle brewing, not over the governor's race
but over the Washington state primary. Video Clip
Robert Mak reports More ... Custom Video ...
The state Democratic and Republican parties announced Tuesday they
are prepared to sue to get rid of the new primary system voters
just approved.
So much attention was focused on the governor's race that the one
issue both parties agree upon was ignored. Just when you thought
the fighting over the state primary was done, the state Republican
and Democratic parties revealed Tuesday they're ready to go back to
court one more time.
The Republicans and Democrats probably joined by the Libertarians
will file civil litigation seeking to throw out the "top-two
primary" and the new court battle begins again said state
Republican chairman Chris Vance.
Last year, voters approved a new top-two primary.
Starting this year the top two candidates in the September primary
will advance to the general election in November. That could be two
Democrats or two Republicans. Uunder the top two primary, there's
no guarantee that either party will have a candidate in November.
KING
In the September 2004 primary, voters had to pick a political
party.
Both parties have never liked the top-two primary and now they
intend to bypass the primary altogether. They have a plan to pick
their candidates at their party conventions this summer. That could
undermine the top-two primary because if parties have their way,
voters only get to see one candidate from each party by the time
they get their primary ballot.
Parties are threatening to sue county auditors allow any other
candidate to call themselves a Republican or Democrat.
"The courts have clearly ruled that the political parties own their
name, and that they can regulate its use," said state Democratic
chairman Paul Berendt
But Secretary of State Sam Reed is defending the top-two primary,
saying voters asked for it and he says it's ridiculous for the
parties to try and control how candidates label themselves on the
ballot.
"Terms like Democrat or Republican have been used since Athenian
democracy a couple thousand years ago and the thought that somehow
you can say to somebody øYou can't call yourself a Republican or a
Democratù just doesn't wash," Reed said.
It comes down to this ó parties want control over picking their
nominees. The Republicans have sent a letter to King County
elections asking the county to honor only the candidates picked at
the party convention. If the county does not do that, the parties
expect to file their legal action by June.
Ultimately, both parties say they'd like to go back to the primary
where you declare a party preference and can only vote for
candidates in that party.
Legal action is expected by June.
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