Proponents of the Arizona initiative to impose a top-two system in that state have collected 100,000 signatures on their initiative petition, and are aiming for 300,000. If the petition succeeds, the November 2012 ballot will ask voters if they want to use a top-two system in Arizona. It is believed that California multi-millionaire Charles Munger, Jr., is providing much of the financial backing for the initiative, so there seems little doubt that it will qualify. The petition is due in July. Here is the text.

The petition says the name of the measure is “Open Elections/Open Government.” The proponents don’t label it “open primary” (as they do in California), because in Arizona, state law already guarantees that independent voters can vote in Democratic and Republican Party primaries for office other than President.

Two state representatives, Tom Chabin (R-Flagstaff) and Lynne Pancrazi (D-Yuma) have introduced the top-two initiative into the legislature. It is HCR 2050.

Ever since 1979, Lyndon LaRouche has held himself out as a Democrat, and his organization has recruited candidates for Congress and other important office to run in Democratic Party primaries. The organization continues this activity. Here is a story about the LaRouche organization’s candidate for the Democratic nomination in the New Jersey U.S. House race, 5th district. The candidate is Diane Sare. The LaRouche organization’s biggest visibility in recent years has been its large posters, displayed in public places, showing President Obama with a Hitler-like moustache.

In 2011, the Arizona Secretary of State’s omnibus election law bill, HB 2304, included a section to let voters sign nominating petitions on-line. Arizona implements this new law on February 1. Candidates seeking a place on a party primary ballot, and independent candidates seeking to get on the November ballot, may collect up to 50% of their signatures on-line. Voters sign an on-line petition by using the Secretary of State’s web page.

This procedure does not apply to initiative petitions, or petitions for federal office, or petitions to qualify a new party. If the process seems successful, it may be expanded to include those petitions. Thanks to Eli Kaminsky for this news.