The Los Angeles Times of November 9 has this op-ed by Michael Feinstein, criticizing the top-two system for crimping voter choice.
4
In certain states, the Libertarian Party, or the Green Party, gained qualified status (relative to the day before the November 2016 election):
Connecticut: both parties gained qualified status for President, by polling over 1% for President. The Libertarian Party had never before done that, and the Green Party had not done it since 2000.
District of Columbia: the Libertarian Party gained qualified status with its vote for Delegate to the U.S. House. It lasts two years.
Iowa: the Libertarian Party became ballot-qualified for the first time, by polling over 2% for President. It lasts for two years.
Kentucky: the Libertarian Party became ballot-qualified for the first time, by polling over 2% for President. It lasts for four years.
Maryland: both parties met the 1% presidential vote test. This was a retention of the status quo for the Libertarian Party, and a gain for the Green Party.
Massachusetts: the Libertarian Party became ballot-qualified for the first time since the period 2008-2010. It did this by polling over 3% for President. It lasts for two years.
Missouri: the Green Party became ballot-qualified for the first time since 2000-2002. It lasts for four years.
New Hampshire: the L:bertarian Party became ballot-qualified for the first time since the period 1990-1996, by polling over 4% for Governor. It lasts two years.
New Mexico: the Libertarian Party became entitled to its own primary for the first time ever. This will make it far easier for the party to run candidates for congress, state legislature, and partisan county office. It lasts two years.
Oklahoma: the Libertarian Party, for the first time, met the vote test to remain on, 2.5% for President. It lasts two years.
Pennsylvania: both the Libertarian and Green Parties gained the slightly-useful category of “political party”, although that status does not put a party on the ballot. It restores the parties to the voter registration form and lets them nominate candidates in special elections with no petition. But they aren’t really on the ballot for all office unless they have registration of 15% of the state total.
The Green Party lost its ballot status in Massachusetts and Texas.
South Dakota referred law 19 has overwhelmingly been repealed by the voters. This is the law the legislature passed in 2015 to make ballot access worse. The law made required an earlier petition deadlines for newly-qualifying parties, an earlier deadline for candidates to get on a primary ballot, and restricted who could sign an independent candidate petition (the law said members of qualified parties could not sign such petitions).
The law was rejected 71.4% for repeal, to only 28.6% to retain the law. The measure was on the ballot because opponents of the law, especially the Democratic Party, gathered the signatures for a referendum petition.
South Dakota Amendment V, to convert all South Dakota elections (except president) to nonpartisan elections, has lost, 44.5% to 55.5%. Here is a link to the South Dakota Secretary of State’s election returns.
With 90% of the vote reported, Maine Question Five has won, 52% to 48%. This is the initiative to use instant runoff voting in future elections for congress and state office elections. Here is a link to Maine election returns.