The Herald, Washington State’s Fifth Largest Newspaper, Recommends Change in Top-Two System

The Herald, daily newspaper for Everett and the northwest corner of the state, here editorializes that the Washington state top-two system be changed. The Herald recommends that the top four candidates be placed on the November ballot for partisan office. In addition, anyone receiving 20% in the primary would also go on the general election ballot.

The editorial seems to be motivated by the fact that the August 2, 2016 primary for State Treasurer resulted in two Republicans qualifying for the November ballot, and no Democrats, even though more votes were cast for Democrats for that office in the primary.

The editorial is not correct when it says that Nebraska and Louisiana also use the top-two system. Louisiana abolished primaries (except presidential primaries) and only has a general election in November, and a run-off. Nebraska has a semi-closed primary for some partisan offices, and a closed primary for the other partisan offices. For legislature, it has a non-partisan election. Thanks to Rob Richie for the link.


Comments

The Herald, Washington State’s Fifth Largest Newspaper, Recommends Change in Top-Two System — 4 Comments

  1. NO primaries — full of extremist hacks and robots. — See the Clinton and Trump MONSTERS in 2016.

    General [only] election ballot access ONLY via equal nominating petitions.

    P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.

  2. The herald could have taken it further and made reference to all of the previous top-two editorials that were less enlightened than this one and ask if that was a matter information available or convenient values. They could commit to not be laggards on this ongoing struggle.

  3. Everett is just north of Seattle.

    The Open Primary in Louisiana is in October.

    Nebraska has a Top 2 election for its legislature.

  4. Louisiana has no primaries (except presidential primaries). Louisiana holds elections for federal office in November. It holds elections for state office in October of the odd years prior to a presidential election.

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