Montana Republican Senators Almost Introduced a Bill to Put Top-Two System on 2016 Ballot

According to this story, Republican Senators in Montana almost introduced a bill to put a top-two system on the November 2016 for voters to decide whether or not to implement it.  The measure was drafted for Senator Fred Thomas (R-Stevensville), but he did not introduce it because the Republican leadership in the Senate decided not to support the idea.  Thanks to Mike Fellows for the link.

The story quotes one Republican Senator as saying “the beauty of the top-two system” is that the winner is determined by a majority.  A top-two system does not necessarily mean election by a majority of the voters who cast ballots.  Under top-two systems, a large proportion of the voters who cast a vote simply leave the office blank when they don’t like the listed choices.  In the California November 2012 election for U.S. House, 31st district, 23.1% of the voters who cast a ballot simply left U.S. House blank.


Comments

Montana Republican Senators Almost Introduced a Bill to Put Top-Two System on 2016 Ballot — 2 Comments

  1. Top 2 brain disease is related to Term Limits brain disease.
    WRONG solution to the problems.

    NO primaries, caucuses and conventions.

    ONLY nominating petitions to get SERIOUS candidates.

    P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.

  2. With all the bad PR over the Republicans push to end same day registration in 2014, they gave up on Top Two, instead I think to focus on other issues. In 2016 they can say, we reduced the governor’s budget yet still increased spending over 2013, we passed all these gun laws that will be vetoed by the governor and were giving voters the chance to vote on several issues.

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