Chicago has non-partisan elections, and requires 12,500 signatures for anyone running for citywide office to get on the February 22, 2011 ballot. Only two candidates submitted petitions to run for Treasurer, the incumbent, Stephanie D. Neely, and a challenger, Elida M. Cruz. The petitions for Cruz were challenged successfully, so Cruz is off the ballot. The ballot will carry only one candidate for Treasurer. See this story.
Same number of candidates the Soviets used to run before Gorbachev came in and screwed up things with all that democratic reform. Come to think of it, American ballot-access laws aren’t all that different from those the Soviets had.
You know “Top One” is a whole lot less confusing for voters than “Top Two”. Perhaps WA and CA and LA should check it out!
That can only be the next logical step.
In the “top one” election, only the incumbent gets ballot access… if incumbent retires, that person chooses whom will be on the ballot.
It makes so much sense!
And in Sandy Ego County, on the west coast, the incumbents have soooooooooooo much power / influence, that the establishment appoints their favorite [say like county sheriff] prior to the next, pre ordained election.
We have met the enemy, and he is us ……..
NOT yet top ZERO in Chicago — hereditary tyrants (but getting there).
Any write-ins allowed or even declared write-ins ???
See the 2010 AK U.S.A. Senate mess.
# 5 In the various low population regimes the party hacks must be really intolerable to put up with.
In larger population areas, the party hacks basically self-destruct — corruption in Miami, Chicago, Detroit, New York, Los Angeles, etc. etc. — routine mass indictments of the MORONS.
P.R. and App.V.