The California Assembly vote in the June 5 primary in the 6th district was: incumbent Republican Beth B. Gaines 38,827; Republican Andy Pugno 33,382; Democrat Regy Bronner 32,573. Because of California’s top-two open primary rules, the only two candidates who can run in November are the two Republicans. Both are conservative. See this story, focusing on the fact that Pugno had said before the primary that if the top two vote-getters were Gaines and himself, and that if Gaines received more votes, he would not campaign in November. Now it appears he will campaign.

Supporters of top-two would say this outcome is good for Democrats, because now they have the privilege of helping decide which Republican gets elected.

Two Republicans have now filed to run for the special election for Michigan’s U.S. House seat in the Eleventh District. See this story. Assuming both Republicans have enough valid signatures, now Michigan will be forced to hold a special primary on September 5, even though the November special election is only for a two-month term. Michigan also holds an August primary for all offices.

Alex Vassar’s “OneVoter” blog has been covering California elections for many years, and also has a database of California election returns from the past. This OneVoter post covers the six candidates who won a spot on the November 2012 ballot via write-in votes. In California Congressional and legislative races at the June 5 primary, there were eight offices for which only one person filed to be on the top-two open primary ballot. In six of those districts, write-ins candidates filed. Whichever write-in candidate received the most write-in votes placed second. Under top-two rules, that person then qualified to appear on the November ballot.

The six write-in candidates who will advance are three Republicans and three Peace & Freedom Party members. The three PFP members are the only minor party members who will appear on the November ballot in a partisan race (except for President). One of the three PFP members, Lee Chauser, only received three write-ins, but because no other write-in candidate was running, he qualified for the November ballot.

Two races had only one person on the ballot, and no write-in candidate filed. Therefore, in those races, the November ballot will list one candidate, and no write-in space (because California’s top-two law eliminates write-in space in November). A voter in Assembly district 14, and in Assembly district 64, will be faced with only one choice, and no means to vote against that one choice. Thanks to Irv Sutley for the link.