There are two basic types of classic open primary in the United States.  One requires the voter at the polls on primary election day to publicly ask for one particular party’s ballot.  The other type gives a primary voter ballots for all the parties that are entitled to have a primary, and then the voter decides in secret which party’s ballot to use.

On July 13, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn used the Governor’s authority to amend a bill that the legislature had passed.  In particular, he amended an uncontroversial election bill to set up Voters Pamphlets on the internet.  Quinn amended this bill, HB 4842, so that the bill also switches Illinois from a public open primary to a secret open primary.  Here is the text of the bill as amended, which is 15 pages long.

This bill will not take effect if the Illinois legislature overrides Quinn’s action.  They are free to do this early next year.  Since Illinois has already had its primary this year, there is no need for quick action.  Most observers believe the legislature will not permit the bill to become law.  If the bill were to become law, it appears to violate the Democratic and Republican Party national bylaws, which don’t recognize presidential primaries if they are secret open primaries (although the national parties have made exceptions for a few states that use this type of presidential primary, such as Wisconsin and Montana).  Thanks to Patrick Kelly for this news.

On July 4, the voters of the Rambouillet district held a special election to fill a vacancy in the French Chamber of Deputies.  Green Party nominee Anny Poursinoff placed first, among a field of seven.  Because she didn’t get 50%, a run-off was held one week later, which Poursinoff won.  She now joins the other three Green Party members in that body.  France does not use Proportional Representation for elections for the Chamber of Deputies.  This post was re-written on July 14.  Thanks to commenter number 4 for the additional information and the link to the election returns.

July 13 is the deadline for independent candidate petitions in Georgia.  Brad Bryant, the state’s Schools Superintendent, tried and failed to collect the needed 44,089 valid signatures.  His campaign only collected 36,000.  He is a Republican, but he was forced to try to qualify as an independent, because he declared his candidacy after it was too late for him to run in the Republican primary.

No candidate has ever got on the Georgia ballot by petition for statewide office, other than presidential candidates, except for Republican Bo Calloway in 1966, for Governor.  Georgia has been requiring independent candidates to submit petitions ever since 1943.