Posted on 06/05/2018 5:55:08 PM PDT by KingofZion
In California, it’s different. The state doesn’t have primaries; it has a “top two” race, in which the top two vote-getters in a June primary election proceed to the general, regardless of party. Erected by referendum in 2010, the “top-two” system is supposed to circumvent party primaries on both sides to produce Democrats and Republican who appeal to the broad electorate.
*** In practice, the system turns each cycle into a potential fiasco. The “top-two” elections might produce a Democrat and a Republican for the November ballot, or they could produce two Republicans or two Democrats. That’s what happened in 2016 when conservative Californians were forced to choose between a liberal Democrat, Kamala Harris, and another liberal Democrat, Loretta Sanchez. The reverse may happen on Tuesday, where a number of congressional districts have multiple candidates vying for the Democratic nod. If Democratic voters and elites can’t coordinate their votes—and it seems like they can’t—then the party could be locked out of the election in the fall, jeopardizing their chances to win back the House. In other words, Democrats could cast the large majority of ballots on Tuesday and still lose representation if they don’t cast them for the right candidates.
The “top-two” system was pitched as a way to broaden democracy and participation, but in reality it does neither. Because there are no parties choosing nominees, top two is essentially the first stage of the general election—with much lower turnout because of its timing in June. An additional consequence is that third parties are shut out of the process, weeded out from the start in a first-past-the-post ballot access mechanism. The large majority of voters then lose the chance to evaluate messages from outside the mainstream. ***
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Welcome to my world where conservative voters are disenfranchised in many races because the only choice is a libtard and a communist.
I hate “top two”. But you work the system you’re in.
Slate? Sounds like the Left was too clever by half. Now they are worried that, with so many Dems running, it will (maybe) give the Republicans a shot where they would have had none.
See, now this is a bad idea because then mean-old Republicans might win. If the Democrats had a lock this article wouldn’t be written.
Leftists in Maine have supported rank voting.
It is on the ballot for the primary next week.
It is to be used in both the primary and the general elections. Most of the signs I have seen support the proposition.
*Now* they're worried. Wasn't a problem when their rigged system had two Dems, but two Republicans!!!
Interesting. Thanks for posting.
Dems aren’t much on thinking. Most shallow idiots on the planet.
Technically it is on the ballot in Maine next Tuesday to veto a bill the legislature past and the gov signed to sunset the concept if the legislature does not send and the people pass a constitutional amendment by 2020 to make it constitutional.
We will be using rank choice voting for our primary next week.
I predict on the Republican side the three losing candidates will concede on election night (unless very close) and the Dems will spend weeks fighting over the ranking results of four of their seven candidates.
If Hillary were governor of California that would be enough to keep her out of prison for a while................
Your summary sure doesn’t say much for Republicans and their intellectual prowess does it?
Demos put the nonsense plan in place.
> In practice, the system turns each cycle into a potential fiasco. <
I don’t see any problem here. This just fits in with everything else California is doing. In fact, I think California should change its nickname to ‘The Fiasco State’.
Agreed. Blood in the water and the California democrats know it is from self inflicted wounds. Things may get ugly for them. If word gets out that Mexicans are voting for Republicans, the rats will not only build that wall, but man it every 100 yards with flame throwers.
No matter how it’s rigged, you’ll find democrats bitching about how voting undermines democracy. They would love to take your right to vote away from you.
Louisiana has had the same system since 1975; Republicans are now competitive there.
In Australia,.. The essence of preferential voting is that voters number candidates on the ballot paper in a rank order of choice. ... Voters are given two votes, a first preference for the preferred candidate, and a second preference to be counted if no candidate receives a majority of the vote.
Electors who fail to vote at a State election and do not provide a valid and sufficient reason for such failure, will be fined. The penalty for first time offenders is $20, and this increases to $50 if you have previously paid a penalty or been convicted of this offence.
Democrats loved the jungle primary because it appeared to guarantee them a stranglehold over CA politics.
Would they still love it if the GOP somehow finished one-two? That could happen in the crowded primary if Democrats split their votes and found themselves locked out of the general elections.
Then we would hear lectures from the Left about how an open primary is bad for democracy. Schadenfreude!
Article is garbage. Parties still participate and VERY unlikely 2 Rs will win a Dem district LOL!
Top 3, 4, or 5 would be better. 3 would be a hoot!
The article’s intent is to herd Dem voters.
... If you live in Kalifornia and haven't voted ..... Get off yer freak'n arse and GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!
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