A
Anonymous
Guest
From California:
Interesting California development...Our county several years ago took a vote on doing away with party affiliation for all local, city, and county elections and it passed by over a 2 to 1 margin....So everyone now runs as Independents...
About 15-20 years back the Montana legislature set up a study group to look at doing the same with State elections... The study group reported back that overwhelmingly the voters would favor that...Immediately the Repub and Dem parties realized this would open the door to Independents and 3rd party groups- and lose them much of their power and income- and got the study buried...
High filing fees- and rigid petition and filing laws for nonparty members to file are only there to protect the two cults- and should have long ago been done away with....
Under Proposition 14, a measure that easily passed, traditional party primaries will be replaced in 2011 with wide-open elections. The top two vote-getters - whatever their party, or if they have no party at all - will face off in the general election.
Supporters argue that without parties picking candidates for the general election, moderates and independents will move to the fore, and voters will pay more attention to the electoral process.
Critics of the measure say it will give a huge advantage to candidates who have the most money or the widest name recognition.
Interesting California development...Our county several years ago took a vote on doing away with party affiliation for all local, city, and county elections and it passed by over a 2 to 1 margin....So everyone now runs as Independents...
About 15-20 years back the Montana legislature set up a study group to look at doing the same with State elections... The study group reported back that overwhelmingly the voters would favor that...Immediately the Repub and Dem parties realized this would open the door to Independents and 3rd party groups- and lose them much of their power and income- and got the study buried...
High filing fees- and rigid petition and filing laws for nonparty members to file are only there to protect the two cults- and should have long ago been done away with....