On November 2, redistricting reform ballot measures passed in both Florida and California.  In Florida, the measures require the legislature to draw congressional and legislative district boundaries without regard for partisanship and without regard for helping incumbents.  The lines must respect county boundaries to the extent possible.  Both measure (one for U.S. House boundaries, and one for legislative boundaries) needed 60%, but both attained it.

In California, over 60% of the voters voted to transfer authority for drawing U.S. House district boundaries to the same Citizens Commission that was already in place for drawing legislative boundaries.  A rival measure, to eliminate the Citizens Commission, failed with only 40% of the vote.

California’s “top-two” law came into existence because then-State Senator Abel Maldonado refused to vote for the state budget in February 2009 unless the legislature put that idea on the ballot.  The voters then passed “top-two” (Proposition 14)  in June 2010 with 53.73% of the total vote.  Maldonado was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor this year, but on November 2, 2010, he was defeated for that office by the Democratic nominee, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Many California newspapers endorsed Maldonado for the Lieutenant Governor post on the basis that he is the person responsible for “top-two”.  Nevertheless, Maldonado only polled 39.4%.

Also on November 2, California voters passed a ballot measure ending the requirement that the budget needs a two-thirds vote in each house of the state legislature.  If that change had been made before 2009, Maldonado’s maneuver would not have been possible.

Ben Manski, Green Party nominee for Wisconsin Assembly, 77th district, polled 31% in his race, not enough to win.  The race was won by Democratic nominee Brett Hulsey, who had 49%.  But Manski outpolled the Republican nominee, David Redick, who got 18%.  The Constitution Party nominee polled 2%.

Janine Hansen, Independent American (Constitution) Party nominee for Nevada Assembly, 33rd district, polled 30.4%.  The race was won by Republican nominee John Ellison, who got 51.2%.  But Hansen outpolled Democratic nominee Michael McFarlane, who got 18.3%.

There are probably other minor party legislative nominees who outpolled one major party nominee in states such as Maine and Illinois.