Forbes has this commentary by David Davenport, on California’s top-two system and the 2016 U.S. Senate race. The title is “Beware Election Reforms that Eliminate Voter Choice.” He summarizes political science research that shows the California top-two system has not changed who gets elected, or how they behave once in office. Then he points out that a California Poll finding that half of all Republicans say they will leave U.S. Senate blank this year when they vote in November.
Ballot Access News
Edited By Richard Winger
ANTI-Democracy minority rule gerrymanders control in the USA.
1/2 or less votes x 1/2 rigged packed/cracked gerrymander districts = 1/4 or less control.
Much, much, much worse primary math.
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NO primaries.
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
Fairly comprehensive for a quick article. When almost half the voters affiliated with one of only two viable parties choose not to participate in an important electoral contest, a apt word is disenfranchisement.
I like the concept of Top-Four. The top 2 plus up to 2 more if they get a minimum of 20%.
I agree with Richard’s analysis of Top-Two. Merging the rulings from Fortson (1970) Munro (1986), it ought to be unconstitutional to require more than 5 percent of support to qualify for access to the general election ballot, either in the form of petition signatures or a primary vote. Top-Two requires about 30 percent support, and 20 percent would still be too high, based on Court precedent.
Rather funny considering that the California GOP pushed the two-top scheme. Now they get burned by it. It should be abolished immediately.
There is a contest in California that is a Three Way Race — California Assembly District 62 — the Republican and Libertarian Write In Candidates tied. I put in the website below. Only the Libertarian is conducting a campaign as the Democrats just look at it as a given.