Washington state Representative Christopher Hurst (D-Enumclaw) has introduced HB 1860. It says that political party committeemembers should run for office on the presidential primary ballot. Last month, a U.S. District Court had ruled that forcing political parties to elect their committeemembers at the top-two primary violates freedom of association, because states cannot force political parties to let outsiders choose their party officers.
At the Washington state presidential primary, held in February, each major party has its own separate presidential primary ballot, and voters must sign in as members of one of those particular parties in order to participate. Thus, the constitutional infirmity is cured if party officers are elected at the presidential primary.
The bill also cancels the presidential primary unless both major parties agree, no later than September 1 of the year before the presidential election, to choose all of their national convention delegates at the presidential primary. Thanks to Josh Putnam for news about this bill.
Washington elections are effectively non-partisan. Rep. Hurst ran as “Prefers Independent Democrat Party”. How ironic he’s suggesting this bill. So if he leaves office who will decide on his replacement? Is he an independent or a Democrat? Will the party stand three candidates for the county commissioners to consider or will the commissioners just pick someone -as they can with independents?
It’s time to de-regulate the major parties in Washington. Let them organize themselves however they want and let them choose their own party officers how they deem fit. When I was chair of Wahkiakum County Democratic central committee, I picked all the PCO’s who ran unopposed on the ballot. So what’s the difference? I quit the party and there is no party in the county today. There was no Democratic PCO on my ballot at all in the last election.
US Rep Jaime Herrera first gained elected office as a PCO appointee for State Rep. All three of the current legislators from my 19th LD gained office the same way.
Most people don’t know or could even give a rats-ass who the local party officials are.
It’s good that the Presidential primary will be cancelled. Because Obama’s nomination is a shoo-in, Democratic activists / bloggers could have drummed up mischief by voting in the GOP ballot. And why shouldn’t they find value in a ballot their tax dollars would have paid for?
Don’t shed too many tears about any organizational de-regulation, the respective Democratic and Republican parties will be fine as soft-money conduits.
To put things in context, Wahkiakum County has a population (in 2000) of only 3,824 people. It is the 2nd smallest-population county in Washington state. Also it is very Republican.
Thanks RIchard – also there are 11 precincts in the county.
P.R. and App.V. = NO primaries are needed.
Do independent taxpayers in WA LOVE having part of their taxes being used for party hack primary elections ???
How about having the party hack groups stimulate the postal snail economy ??? — i.e. MAIL ballots for the party hack gangs to choose their party hack clubby officers ???
NO need for any public records or taxes.
The Sun will continue to rise in WA State.
Washington should get rid of its current method of filling vacancies, and use something clever like an election.
What a mess it is in the State of Washington. California is on the way to being as bad, and may become so, if we do not get rid of the “top-two” system!
How many MORON party hack State regimes give ANY power to the PRIVATE party hack gangs in the State regarding public policy ??? — i.e. whether or not to have a PUBLIC election.
Just more of the EVIL INSANE *politics* in the U.S.A.