On February 23, the Washington Secretary of State’s bill to clean up some legal problems with the “top-two” primary advanced. The Senate Government Operations Committee passed the bill, and sent it to the Rules committee. The bill changes the vote test for a qualified party from a group that got 5% for any statewide office at the last election, to a group that got 1% for president. It also says a candidate may “prefer” any party that is either qualified, or any party that submits a petition of 100 signatures.
And this cleans things up why? If anything, it looks like a political shell game that appears to make it harder for qualifying as a party!
It also looks like allowing preference for only qualified parties that they are trying to sidestep the LPWA lawsuit by getting them made “unqualified”.
Sneaky little bastards in the WA Legislature, aren’t they?
The only testimony at the committee hearing was from Secretary of State Sam Reed and a representative from the Washington Grange.
I wouldn’t characterize it as cleaning up “legal problems” as cleaning up the law which has undergone numerous revisions since the federal courts overturned the blanket primary, and the “extraordinary and precipitous” injunction by the district court against the voter-approved Top 2 primary. There are simply too many scratch outs and footnotes to make the law easily understood.
Use of “qualified” with respect to parties under the bill is misleading. Parties are characterized as major parties and minor parties.
All political parties are made subject to Washington’s campaign finance laws. All political parties may have their contact information communicated to voters in the voter’s pamphlet.
All parties, major or minor, may nominate candidates for President and Vice President. The only distinction is that the nominees of major parties are qualified automatically, while the nominee of a minor party must secure 1000 signatures (equivalent to 0.03% (1/3000) of the vote in the 2008 presidential election).
Presidential preference primaries are conducted for the major political parties by the State. The political parties are free to disregard the results of these primaries (as the Democrats have done in the past).
Candidates for other offices qualify for the primary ballot by payment of a relatively small fee. They may express a preference for any political party.
Precinct officers of major parties are elected at the general election. The organizational activities of minor political parties is not regulated by the State.
It should be noted that establishment of a minor party, and filing for office are two distinct processes. The petition to secure recognition of a minor political party may be circulated from December of the odd year through March 1 of an even-numbered year. The minor party is recognized through March 31st of the following election year.
Candidates file in the summer of the election year to appear on the August primary ballot.
#1 Richard Winger misused the term “qualified”. To be recognized as a political party requires a petition with 100 signatures (minor party) OR 1% of the presidential vote (major party). The 100 signatures is less than that required in the past to be recognized as a minor party.
A candidate for any office other than President/Vice President qualifies for the primary ballot by paying a fee (1% of annual salary, or a petition with signatures equivalent to the $dollar amount of the fee). They may express a preference for any party, major or minor.
Nomination for president by a minor party requires 1000 signatures. This is no different than past practice.
“A candidate for any office other than President/Vice President qualifies for the primary ballot by paying a fee (1% of annual salary, or a petition with signatures equivalent to the $dollar amount of the fee).”
This is a good idea when coupled with the principle of paying State Legislators only $100 per year as in New Hampshire, and similar amounts for all local offices.
US House, Senate and President should be capped at an amount equal to the median income for the average US worker.
No government official should make more than the average US worker who is paying his or her salary.
Coming, all government officials should be making minimum wage only, as it reflects the quality of their work!
Michael Seebeck Says:
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:54 am
“… all government officials should be making minimum wage only, as it reflects the quality of their work!”
Fine by me.
Although, $100 per year should be lower, so more fitting.
And based on quality, most should be paid nothing at all.
The top 2 stuff is totally NOT necessary.
THE problem is minority rule gerrymanders in ALL 50 State legislatures.
Half the votes in half the gerrymander districts (political concentration camps) = about 25 percent minority rule — by a Donkey or Elephant gang of gerrymander monarchs — picking a super-evil party hack leadership — aka Speakers and Majority *Leaders*.
REAL Democracy Remedy – P.R.
Total Votes / Total Seats = Equal votes needed for each seat winner — via pre-election candidate rank order lists — surplus votes and loser votes get transferred via the lists.
Nah, we need to let them make enough to fund their greyhound bus tickets back home at end of term plus leave enough for their bread and broth while in office.
“REAL Democracy Remedy – P.R.
Total Votes / Total Seats = Equal votes needed for each seat winner — via pre-election candidate rank order lists — surplus votes and loser votes get transferred via the lists.”
Please explain further.
Sec. A. All candidates for the same office in the same area shall have the same nominating petition requirements to get on the [general] election ballots.
Sec. B. (1) The Electors shall elect the members of each legislative body (odd number at least 5) in each year for 1 year terms.
(2) Each legislative body district shall have between 2 and 5 times the total number of Electors at the last [general] election in all districts divided by the total members in the body.
(3) As nearly as possible, each district shall consist of 1 or more local governments or part of 1 local government and be contiguous and square.
Sec. C. (1) Each legislative body candidate shall get a list of all candidates for the body in all districts at least [7] weeks before the [general] election.
(2) Each candidate shall rank the other candidates in all districts (using 1 (highest), 2, etc.) and file such list not later than [4] P.M. [6] weeks before the [general] election.
(3) The lists shall be made public immediately at such deadline.
(4) If a valid list is not filed, then the candidate’s name shall be removed from the ballots.
[Equal Votes per winner P.R.]
Sec. D. (1) Each Elector may vote for 1 candidate for each legislative body.
(2) The Average shall be the Total Votes for all candidates in all districts divided by the Total Members to be elected in all districts, dropping fractions. Ave = TV/TM.
(3) A candidate who gets the Average shall be elected.
(4) The most excess votes above the Average shall be repeatedly moved to 1 or more unelected candidates, using the elected candidate’s rank order list.
(5) Only the votes needed to get the Average shall be moved to any 1 unelected candidate.
(6) If all members are not elected, then the candidate with the least votes in all districts shall lose.
(7) The loser’s votes shall be moved to 1 or more unelected candidates, using the original losing candidate’s rank order list and subject to (5).
(8) Steps (6) and (7) shall repeat, if necessary.
(9) Example- 100 Votes, Elect 5, Average 20
A 26 – 6 = 20 Elected
B 20 Elected
C 18 + 2 = 20 Elected
D 16
E 9
F 7 + 4 = 11
G 4
Excess A votes moved.
—–
A 20 Elected
B 20 Elected
C 20 Elected
D 16
F 11 + 4 = 15
E 9
G 4 – 4 = 0 Loses
—–
A 20 Elected
B 20 Elected
C 20 Elected
D 16 + 4 = 20 Elected
F 15 + 5 = 20 Elected
E 9 – 9 = 0 Loses
Sec. E. (1) A legislative body candidate or member may file a written rank order list of persons to fill his/her vacancy, if any.
(2) The qualified person who is highest on the list shall fill the vacancy.
(3) If the preceding does not happen, then the legislative body shall fill the vacancy with a person of the same party (if any) immediately at its next meeting. [i.e. NO more vacancy special elections.]
Sec. F. (1) All elected executive officers and all judges shall be nominated for and elected at nonpartisan [general] elections.
(2) Each Elector may vote for 1 or more candidates for each elected executive office or judge (including 1 write-in for each position).
[This is the Approval Voting method]
(3) The candidate(s) getting the most votes shall be elected (for the longest terms respectively in the case of 2 or more positions with different terms).
Did any third-party candidates get more than 1% of the vote in Washintion?