Idaho has now tallied the write-in votes for declared write-in presidential candidates. Alan Keyes received 40; Cynthia McKinney received 39; Brian Moore received 3.
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Montana has tallied the write-ins for presidential write-in candidates. Chuck Baldwin received 143, and Cynthia McKinney received 23. Brian Moore did not file for write-in status in Montana, nor did Alan Keyes. Charles Jay did file, but he did not receive any recorded votes.
The New America Foundation has released this 20-page report, discussing how proportional representation could work for a unicameral California legislature. There is very little discussion of proportional representation in the United States, so this document is noteworthy.
Even though “top-two” was defeated by Oregon voters on November 4, proponents of the idea are still energetically working for it. California’s Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger hopes to place the idea on the California ballot in the future. The Committee for a Unified Independent Party still works hard for the idea.
Perhaps the proponents of “top-two” might be willing to consider this idea: keep the primary ballot in place as it is now in Washington state, and in the proposed initiatives. Under Washington’s existing law, everyone who runs for partisan office (except president) appears on the August primary ballot. All voters get the same ballot.
But, change the Washington system, and the plans for a California initiative, to provide that anyone who ran in the primary is free to also retain his or her name on the general election ballot. But, also provide that anyone who runs in the primary is free to withdraw from the November ballot. One can anticipate that most Republicans and Democrats who were outpolled by a member of their same party would be willing to withdraw, although this proposal would make it voluntary whether they withdraw or not. Minor party and independent candidates who had run in the primary would probably choose not to withdraw, because they would desire to campaign for their ideas during the general election campaign season.
The Washington State Grange says that its only reason for supporting “top-two” is because it wants primary voters to have complete freedom to vote for anyone in the primary. Phil Keisling, the main proponent of the Oregon “top-two” system, also said that his chief goal was to make it possible for independent voters to have the same freedom of choice in the primary that Oregon party registrants have. The proposed solution, outlined in this blog post, would not injure those interests.
Even though “top-two” was defeated by Oregon voters on November 4, proponents of the idea are still energetically working for it. California’s Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger hopes to place the idea on the California ballot in the future. The Committee for a Unified Independent Party still works hard for the idea.
Perhaps the proponents of “top-two” might be willing to consider this idea: keep the primary ballot in place as it is now in Washington state, and in the proposed initiatives. Under Washington’s existing law, everyone who runs for partisan office (except president) appears on the August primary ballot. All voters get the same ballot.
But, change the Washington system, and the plans for a California initiative, to provide that anyone who ran in the primary is free to also retain his or her name on the general election ballot. But, also provide that anyone who runs in the primary is free to withdraw from the November ballot. One can anticipate that most Republicans and Democrats who were outpolled by a member of their same party would be willing to withdraw, although this proposal would make it voluntary whether they withdraw or not. Minor party and independent candidates who had run in the primary would probably choose not to withdraw, because they would desire to campaign for their ideas during the general election campaign season.
The Washington State Grange says that its only reason for supporting “top-two” is because it wants primary voters to have complete freedom to vote for anyone in the primary. Phil Keisling, the main proponent of the Oregon “top-two” system, also said that his chief goal was to make it possible for independent voters to have the same freedom of choice in the primary that Oregon party registrants have. The proposed solution, outlined in this blog post, would not injure those interests.