On February 25, the Los Angeles Times published a letter to the editor from John Galisky, advocating that California Democrats act to replace the top-two primary with a top-five system that combines ranked choice voting. The same section of that day’s newspaper also has two other letters, advocating that some Democratic candidates for Governor drop out of the race.
I have a novel idea: why not let each party nominate their own candidates?
No thanks on rotten communist voting.
@WZ,
That requires the state to define who is a party, and which parties are qualified to nominate. Instead let individual candidates run for office. If groups, whether “organize parties” or “ad hoc” they may. Do like in France, where ballot papers are roughly 3×5 with the candidate name printed in black on white on one side, and the other side may have pictures, slogans, party names, etc., printed in monochrome at state expense. Outside the polling place have a fence with posters, one per candidate.
Voting in person. A voter may pick up one or more ballot papers at a table and go into a privacy booth, where they select one and place it in an envelope. They deposit the envelope in the ballot box. At the end of voting, the ballot papers are pulled from the envelopes and sorted into stacks which are counted.
If a candidate receives a majority in the first (or primary) election they are elected. Otherwise, candidates who receive 12.5% or more (at least two) run in the second (or runoff) election held a week later with a plurality needed for election. Nominally eliminated candidates may aggregate their votes so that one may advance to the runoff. Candidates may also withdraw to reduce the risk of factional splitting.
“That requires the state to define who is a party, and which parties are qualified to nominate. Instead let individual candidates run for office.”
Not necessarily. I propose a party is those who show up to vote and stand together. An independent is a party of one.
So long as multiple precinct offices still exist, the winning party of a precinct can send representatives to the next higher level election, where parties can be formed in the same manner. All the way up to the federal level as long as that monstrosity exists (hopefully not very long).
Top Five is only about 33% as terrible as Top Two.
How about top one? I alone can save you!