Disgruntled California voters have blown up their election
system by approving Proposition 14, which tosses out the current
political party-based primary system in all but presidential
races.
Disgruntled California voters have blown up their election system by approving Proposition 14, which tosses out the current political party-based primary system in all but presidential races.
The measure was far ahead in returns, with about 60 percent of votes in favor and 40 against with more than 20 percent of precincts reported.
Backed strongly by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Proposition 14 called for a new “open” primary, in which all candidates for an office – except those in presidential primaries – appear on a ballot given to voters regardless of party registration.
Under the system – which Washington state has already adopted – the top-two vote getters who emerge from a primary square off in a general election, even if they are from the same political party.
“I am thrilled California voters have decided to make a historic change and give equal access to the same ballot for all by passing Proposition 14,” Schwarzenegger said in a statement Tuesday night. “This sends a clear message that Californians are tired of partisan gridlock and dysfunction and want a system where representatives put what’s best for California ahead of extreme partisan doctrine.”
Jason Olson, director of Independent Voice, a group that backed that measure, predicted that more decline-to-state voters would turn out for primary elections with the Proposition 14 approach. Independent voters are now about 20 percent of all California’s registered voters. .
“We don’t want to be confined by the parties when it comes to who we decide we want to vote for,” Olson said.
Right now, if independents want to vote in a California Democratic or Republican primary, they can request one of those party’s ballots.
Olson and other supporters of Proposition 14 said the measure would lead to more moderates running for office. The typical system, they said, produces politicians loath to negotiate and take positions that might alienate bedrock Democratic or Republican primary voters.
Supporters also said a top-two system would help minor parties advance candidates.
But that is not the position of California’s major parties, the Democratic and Republican, nor the smaller Green, Libertarian and Peace and Freedom parties.
They all oppose the top-two system, arguing it limits voters’ choices in a general election.
John Burton, chairman of the California Democratic Party, said the system “makes for mischief,” and would disappoint voters by forcing parties to pour more money into elections to appeal to a range of voters in primaries.
Open primaries give candidates more freedom in identifying themselves and mislead voters, Burton said. He said “it’s a serious thought” that the Democratic Party might file a lawsuit if it passes.
Republican Party spokesman Rob Griffith said suing “isn’t the Republican Party way of doing things,” but that the party also believes voters’ choices would be limited.
According to the nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles, about one-third of all California’s legislative and congressional district races could end up with two candidates from the same party – mostly Democrat – as rivals in general elections.Voters approved Proposition 13, an earthquake-retrofit measure, by a wide margin.
