On August 1, Washington state held special primary elections for eight different legislative seats. Here is a link to the Secretary of State’s election returns. The only races with any minor party candidates were the races for State Senate 48, and State Representative 48-1. Libertarians ran in both elections. With no Republicans running in those districts, the Libertarians did well: Michelle Darnell polled 23.66% for State Senate; Ciaran Dougherty polled 23.4% for Representative.
None of the eight seats are being filled by the August 1 election. These are only primaries, with the election itself set for November 7, 2017, in all eight races.
So is this the first time a minor party candidate has advanced from a Top-2 primary to the general election?
The Senate race in SD-45 could flip control of the Washington senate.
Brandon, it’s not uncommon for alternative party candidates to advance in Top Two if they pick the right race, such as when the establishment party candidate would have no other opponent(Ciaran Dougherty did this) or when the only other opposition is another alternative candidate(Michelle Darnell was in a three way race but the other two candidates were a Democrat and an Independent Democrat, whatever that is).
What may never have happened is an alternative or Independent candidate advance under Top Two when facing both a Republican and a Democrat in the primary.
“These elections are only primaries …” Not really. We should not be calling the first round of a top two election a “primary”.
These are “primaries” in that no can be elected just from them. This is what makes Louisiana’s system NOT Top-2, if someone gets more than 50% in the first round they get the office, no need for a second round.
It is still true that no minor party member has advanced to November in a top-two election if there was both a Republican and a Democrat running in the same election.
Candidate/Member Replacement lists.
NO more very expensive special elections with LOW voter turnouts.
Richard Winger, Are you aware of any instances where an independent candidate has advanced to November when there both Republican and Democratic candidates running.
Demo Rep,
Are you in favor of state senators indicted for gun running naming their own replacements?
Definition of primary (adjective)
2. earliest in time or order of development.
In 2012 in California’s 33rd Congressional District, Independent candidate Bill Bloomfield came in second in the primary. In November, facing Congressman Henry Waxman, Bloomfield received 46% of the vote.
It was an unusual situation. Bloomfield had been a long-time Republican donor. He ran as an Independent because it was a very Democratic district. The only Republican who had filed was a young supporter of Ron Paul, so the State Chair and other leaders of the Republican Party backed Bloomfield. And Bloomfield put real money into his own campaign In Henry Waxman’s long career in Congress, Bloomfield was his strongest challenger. It shows that an Independent can make it to November under top two, but Bloomfiel’s circumstances are so unusual that few other Independents can copy his performance.
J.R. — replacements in legislative bodies even for killers and traitors.
Nonstop expulsions of BAAAAD legislators, as needed.
ONE year terms for all legislators and elected executive officers.
PR and App.v.
Top Two is a small step forward in voting reform. By showing unity, candidates can try to attract the 33.33 (plus one vote) in first phase and 50% (plus one vote) in second phase.
Are you interested in pure proportional representation (PR)?
The 10th USA Parliament has been uniting all parties and Independents since 1994 when Harry Browne (Libertarian) won the top-ranked name from among 125 names for President of USA.
Now ten candidates for public office are working as the 2017 United Coalition under pure proportional representation.
Nobody has it as good as the 2017 United Coalition:
http://www.international-parliament.org/ucc.html
James, experience shows that independent and minor party candidates can’t get to 33% in the primary. That is why, in California in 2014, two extraordinarily gifted independents failed to qualify for the November ballot. Marianne Williamson for US House raised and spent more money than any of her opponents. Dan Schnur for Secretary of State got more newspaper endorsements than any of his opponents, and he had the 2nd biggest campaign warchest. But both came in 4th. Without top-two, they could easily have afforded to petition onto the general election ballot
Voters don’t pay attention to minor party and independent candidates, generally, until after primaries are over. I believe both Marianne Williamson and Dan Schnur could have won under the old semi-closed California system.
NO robot party hack primaries, caucuses and conventions for nominations.
Nominating petitions / filing fees for nominations — ONE election day.
PR and AppV.