On March 30, the California Assembly Committee defeated ACR 145, which would have asked the Secretary of State to ask the counties to print up advisory presidential primary ballots for independent voters who don’t want a party primary ballot. The Democratic, Libertarian, and American Independent Parties already let independents vote in their presidential primaries, but the Republican, Green, and Peace & Freedom Parties do not. If the resolution were enacted and elections officials carried out the request, then independents who want to vote in the Republican primary would have been able to cast an advisory vote.

The bill needed four votes to pass, but only received two. During the testimony, the chair of the Committee, Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, expressed the idea that California’s top-two system (which only relates to congressional a d state office elections, but not president) disenfranchises voters who want to vote for minor parties in November. Weber is a Democrat. The two votes in favor of ACR 145 were also cast by Democrats.