On October 22, the California Republican Party state convention voted to set up a procedure for the state party to endorse candidates in statewide primary elections, starting in 2018. See this story.

Many of the supporters of a top-two system hold themselves as being opposed to “party bosses” and “party control of elections.” The irony is that the top-two system in California has now caused both major parties to endorse candidates before the primary. At one time in California it was illegal for political parties to endorse candidates in their own primaries, although that law was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1989 in Eu v San Francisco County Democratic Central Committee. Still, even after parties gained the free speech right to endorse candidates in their own primaries, they did not begin to do so until the top-two system came into existence.

On October 23, the Maine legislature came into session. Although ranked choice voting is on the agenda, that is far from the only issue in the special session. See this story.

The California Republican Party held a state convention in Anaheim, October 20-22. The Resolutions Committee was asked to approve a resolution stating that the party opposes the top-two system, but that committee did not approve the resolution, so that resolution did not reach the floor.