Virginia Delegate Sam Rasoul (D-Roanoke) has filed a 2017 bill to convert all partisan elections (except presidential elections) to a top-two system. It is HB 541 and is a proposed constitutional amendment. See this story. The story is incorrect when it says that Nebraska and Louisiana have top-two systems. Louisiana has abolished primaries (except presidential primaries) and only has a general election. In the few cases when no one gets a majority, there is a run-off. Louisiana does not vote for Congress until November. Nebraska has semi-closed primaries for all partisan office. Because Nebraska has non-partisan elections for the State Senate, proponents of top-two frequently claim Nebraska has a top-two primary, but that claim is incorrect.
Currently Virginia has open primaries. The voter registration form in Virginia does not ask the applicant to choose a party or independent status. So on primary day, any voter can choose any party’s primary ballot.
If the United States had a top-two system for president, the only candidates who would be allowed to run in the general election this year would be Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Kill it, keep it from spreading! Top Two is among the most anti-third party/Independent weapons the ruling two parties deploy against us.
Top 2 is a perversion version of IRV.
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P.R. and nonpartisan App.V. — pending head to head math.
Because this works so well in California…
The United States does not have popular elections for President. You are arguing that if everything was different, everything would be the same.
Louisiana has an open primary in which voters can vote for any candidate. That it permits election of a candidate with a majority is non-consequential.
Nebraska does not have a state senate. Its unicameral legislature, the most important branch of government under a republican form of government is elected in a Top 2 election.
Voters in Virginia are currently free to pick a party on election day, but they are restricted to that party for all offices. Are you familiar with the expression “pick your poison”.
Characterizing Louisiana as having an open primary is misleading because the election takes places on the national general election day in November. In comparison to traditional primaries it does not choose nominees or qualifiers and a candidate can, and often does, win outright.
The members of the Nebraska Legislature are called Senators. It is ticky-tacky quibbling to act as though a serious error is made by incidental mislabeling of the body as the State Senate. It’s also key to note that the senators are selected in non-partisan elections, and so the primary to determine the top two is not a means to select party nominees.
Top two with partisan candidates who are chosen in an election on any day other than the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even numbered years is a soft disenfranchisement.
The possible top 2 runoff stuff in LA in December for USA Rep and Senator is a perversion / subversion of various U.S.A. election laws.
See Title 2 US Code.
Too many LAWLESS morons in LA to count.
Demo Rep see
USC 2 Section 8, and the 1872 Reapportionment Law that set the current election date.
The Louisiana Open Primary is in odd years in October. The Congressional Open Primary is in November of even years, in accord with current Federal law.
The Nebraska Constitution does not style the single chamber as a “senate”, nor its members as senators. It is popularly called “the unicameral” and the members styled as “senators”. If one is not aware that Nebraska does not have a senate, they might conclude from Richard Winger’s statement that a lower house was elected in partisan elections. The congressional franchise is based on the legislature despite perversions such as ‘Tashjian’ and ‘Oregon v Mitchell’
Congress should repeal the 1845 and 1872 laws imposing national election days.
Louisiana has elections for state office in October of years that precede presidential election years. The October event is the election because it elects people. By definition, “election” is something that elects people. If no one gets 50% in a Louisiana state election, there is a run-off, but most of the time October is the end of it. There are no primaries in Louisiana (except presidential primaries).
See Louisiana Election Code 18ยง402
The event this November is “Presidential Election and Congressional Primary”
The event this November is “Congressional General”