California Assembly Member Kevin Mullin has introduced AB 84, to move the California primary for all office to March, in presidential years. See this story. The bill, if enacted, would have consequences for the top-two system. A system in presidential years in which all candidates for Congress and partisan state office would need to file in the year before the election would very likely be unconstitutional.
Mullin is Speaker Pro Tempore, which is the second-highest position in the California Assembly, after the Speaker.
Makes sense since CA takes so long counting and certifying its ballots. Give them a three-month head start and maybe they’ll have the primary vote certified by June.
California should move the primary to September. Since Mullins runs in the Top 2 primary, he is self-dealing, since an early election serves to reduce challengers. If a legislator is beaten in the primary, or does not run, a March primary results in an 9-month lame duck period.
The presidential preference primary acts as a contaminant on Top 2, because it leads many voters to believe they are excluded from voting. If the primary were in September, the presidential primary could be moved to March.
California should either enforce the provision in its constitution that the winner of the primary be the nominee of the party, or amend its Constitution. California could choose its electors from districts (one from each congressional district, and one from each pair of Board of Election districts; or have the redistricting commission draw 55 electoral districts. The electors could be elected using Top 2.
California should switch its elections for party offices to odd years using all-mail elections. The State would mail out the ballots and collect them and then give them to the party’s for tabulation. If they wanted, the party could contract with counties for tabulation.