Posted on 06/08/2010 3:01:47 PM PDT by SmithL
Secretary of State Debra Bowen said today there will be an "army of lawyers" looking at the constitutionality of Proposition 14 if the measure is approved today.
Under the "top two" primary system, candidates of all party affiliations would run on one primary ballot. Only the top two vote-getters would advance to a general run-off election. The change does not impact presidential contests.
Proponents, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado, say the change would increase voter choice and turnout in primary contests. They also argue that more moderate politicians would be elected because candidates would have to appeal to a broader swath of the electorate.
But critics say only allowing two candidates and eliminating write-in ballots in the general limits voter choice and that some minor parties would be locked out of the political process.
A similar system enacted in Washington state was upheld by the Supreme Court, but some aspects of the challenge are still being litigated. In California, leaders from the major and minor parties, who oppose the measure, and some ballot access advocates appear poised to file a lawsuit if Proposition 14 passes.
Bowen, who does not take an official stance on measures on the ballot, said she thinks concerns from California's minor parties that they would lose ballot qualified status under the change are legitimate.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.sacbee.com ...
So essentially they are doing away with the two party election.
If a state is heavily Democrat o Republican the top two candidates could be fromthe same party?
That’s my take on it.
My wife and I voted against it.
And one of the many reasons Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado should be tossed out on their tin ears.
If a state is heavily Democrat o Republican the top two candidates could be from the same party?Yep!
Vote NO if you haven’t already.
I don’t think the state should be involved with the party primaries. The party primaries should be held by the individual parties, with each party paying for their own election. After the election, the party sends the name of the winner to the state for the general election.
I did.
“My wife and I voted against it.”
Our whole family did the same.
About to vote no on this stupid prop.
I still don’t know who I’m voting for for governor or senate. I may skip those races.
I voted for Naritelli for governor. I heard him several times on the radio and was impressed. He also got Tom McClintock’s endorsement.
Good. Let’s hope enough people did.
I’ll guarantee you the left has been hawking this as manna from heaven though.
“They also argue that more moderate politicians would be elected because candidates would have to appeal to a broader swath of the electorate”.
Yeah...because what we need in California is more moderate politicians...yeah...that’s gotten us really far...yeah.
Ah-nolhd has turned into the Manchurian bodybuilder.
Arnold the pig was smarter.
I took your advice. I mainly did not want to vote for Poizner or Whitman.
I was also debating between Devore and Campbell. Campbell is a neighbor, and I’ve met him a few times at our grocery store. I like him. However, he is more liberal than I’d like. I also started having real concerns when he started running low on money. I figure if for some reason Devore does win, he would get more money than Campbell because Devore would have the Tea Party backing.
I didn’t know who to vote for Lt. Gov. I just knew I didn’t want to vote for Abel Maldonado.
That;s the dumbest thing I ever heard of.
Don’t quote me, but Arizona has something like this now. Democrats will be helping Republicans pick between McCain and Hayworth. And what do the Dems have to lose by voting McCain? Nutin. It sucks.
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