On February 15, California held its first elections under the Proposition 14 “top-two” system. Both elections were to fill vacancies in the State Senate, in districts within Los Angeles County (one district extends into neighboring counties as well). The semi-official results show that the 17th district had turnout of 12.6% of the registered voters, and the 28th district had a 10.5% turnout. When the official results are known, these turnout figures will rise slightly.
The 17th district is centered on Lancaster and Palmdale, and leans Republican. The results were: Sharon Runner, “My party preference is the Republican Party”, 65.6%; Darren W. Parker, “My party preference is the Democratic Party” 34.4%.
The 28th district is on the coast, in western Los Angeles County, and is heavily Democratic. The results were: Ted Lieu, “My party preference is the Democratic Party” 57.1%; Bob Valentine, “My party preference is the Republican Party” 25.1%; Martha Flores Gibson, “My party preference is the Republican Party”, 6.7%; Mark Lipman “No party preference” 3.4%; Kevin Thomas McGurk “My party preference is the Democratic Party” 2.5%; James P. Thompson, “My party preference is the Republican Party” 2.3%; Jeffrey E. Fortini, “My party preference is the Republican Party” 2.2%; Michael Chamness, “No party preference” .5%.
The same individuals who won these elections would have won the same elections if Proposition 14 had not been in existence.
If one compares these two recent special elections with the special elections held in California during 2009 and 2010 that were not combined with statewide elections, one finds three differences: (1) turnout in the special elections of 2009 and 2010 averaged 19.2% in the first rounds, which is far better than the average turnout in the two recent elections (the average of the two recent elections is 11.6%); (2) whereas independent candidates in the earlier special elections were permitted to have the word “independent” on the ballot, the independent candidates in the recent elections were stuck with the ballot label “no party preference”; (3) whereas six of the special elections held in 2009 and 2010 (i.e., the special-election-first-rounds that weren’t combined with a statewide election) had candidates from one or more of the qualified minor parties, there were no such candidates in the two recent elections. This is because Proposition 14 makes it more difficult for candidates of small qualified parties to get on the primary ballot.
None of the 2009 and 2010 special elections (first round) included here were held in conjunction with any additional elections. They were all “stand-alone” elections, so the comparison of turnout is fair. The first-round special elections in 2009 and 2010 that weren’t combined with a statewide election were: State Senate 26, 7.91% turnout; Assembly 51, 7.90%; US House 10, 29.39%; Assembly 72, 18.28%; State Senate 37, 20.39%; Assembly 43, 18.58%; State Senate 15, 31.78%.
