Justia has this interesting analysis of some of the arguments against the National Popular Vote Plan. The piece is authored by law professor Vikram David Amar.
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California Assemblymember Kristen Olsen (R-Modesto) has introduced ACA 10 and AB 1075. They provide that if a candidate in the June primary for partisan state office receives at least 60% of the vote, then that person is elected. The proposed amendment to the California constitution is thus the second proposal introduced this year to alter the top-two system. The Olsen bills do not pertain to Congress, because federal law requires California and all states to hold congressional elections in November.
If the Olsen proposal had been in effect in 2012, eight of the twenty State Senate races, and twenty-one of the eighty Assembly races, would have been decided in June. Olsen herself, who received 65.0% of the June primary vote, would have been re-elected in June and would not have had to run in November. Thanks to David Kadlecek for this news.
On February 14, the New Mexico House Committee on Voting and Elections passed SB 276. This is the bill to restore the straight-ticket device, but only for parties that have at least two statewide nominees on the ballot. The bill had passed the Senate on March 7 by 24-17. It may be voted on in the House on March 15.
The California Independent Voters Network has this column, criticizing the California bill that would impose restrictions on the ability of write-in candidates in the June primary to appear on the November ballot, even if such candidates did place second in the June primary.
The U.S. Census Bureau says that 1,135 of the nation’s 3,143 counties now have more deaths than births, and are losing population. See this story, which has a map that shows the counties that are declining. This has implications for redistricting, the National Popular Vote Plan, and even the dormant issue of the makeup of the U.S. Senate.