California Assemblymember Kristen Olsen (R-Modesto) has introduced ACA 10 and AB 1075. They provide that if a candidate in the June primary for partisan state office receives at least 60% of the vote, then that person is elected. The proposed amendment to the California constitution is thus the second proposal introduced this year to alter the top-two system. The Olsen bills do not pertain to Congress, because federal law requires California and all states to hold congressional elections in November.
If the Olsen proposal had been in effect in 2012, eight of the twenty State Senate races, and twenty-one of the eighty Assembly races, would have been decided in June. Olsen herself, who received 65.0% of the June primary vote, would have been re-elected in June and would not have had to run in November. Thanks to David Kadlecek for this news.
And here’s yet another example …
Well of course. This is the natural progression of “top-two.” It is the intent and the reality of “top-two” that it will lead to a one-party state just as in the old USSR.
And in a one-party state, where the “Top-two” party is the only party allowed to have a primary, the only party allowed to place candidates on the ballot and the only party to appear on the General Election ballot in November, it is only a small step to eliminating as many of those pesky second place candidates as possible.
And now this attempt to eliminate the General election altogether. So now, if the power elite gets their way, the only party allowed to exist – the “Top-two” party – will be able to choose their own nominee and skip the election; Just declare the “Top-two” party’s nominee the winner at the outset.
Do you get it yet. This is what comrade Riley wants to foist upon us. The government will control a one-party system that will allow them to choose the candidates in the single party and then just declare their own candidate the winner.
“Just vote for the choice we give you, Comrade. Who needs free elections when you can all be members of the “Top-two” party.”
“Top-two” or top one, it’s all the same for the power elite behind this evil power grab.
All hail the one-party system called “top-two.”
“Top-two” and its supporters are evil, fa$cist-$ocialists.
It’s time stop and repeal “top-two” everywhere.
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V — to END the rule of the EVIL gerrymander monsters like Riley.
NO primaries.
Get on general election ballots by equal nominating petitions ONLY.
It is pointless tinkering.
Of the 8 senate races, 3 had one candidate on the ballot, and the other 5 had only two candidates. There was no risk of any of these candidates missing the November general election.
Her efforts would be better directed at eliminating the party elections provision from the Constitution.
Maybe Olsen agreed with Mark Brown that manner regulation for congressional elections can not be placed in a state constitution (or if it is, is unenforceable upon the legislature).
With nearly 1/6 of representatives elected by Top 2, perhaps Congress will modify its time regulations and permit election to occur in a primary that is held within 60 days of the general election, and in which all candidates and voters may participate.
Louisiana would certainly take advantage, and Washington might, particularly if they realized that UOCAVA permits provisionally ranked ballots.
California used to have a September primary. It was moved to June in order to combine it with the presidential primary. But the presidential primary was split off again (the Date of the June 2012 presidential primary was politically motivated, which is not likely to be repeated in 2016).
What @4 really means:
Many of the evil power elite in states such as Washington and Louisiana would take advantage of any opportunity to eliminate free elections, which is “top-two’s” purpose, as soon as Congress eliminates the current requirement to actually hold an election.