One of the key questions in the debate over the June ballot measure Proposition 14 is what sort of candidate might prevail under an "open primary" system.
Proponents say switching to a "top-two primary" system, where candidates of all political parties run in a primary and the top two vote-getters advance to a general election, would result in more moderates being elected.
While that could be the case, according to a report released today by the nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies, the change could also result in voters in many districts having to choose between two members of the same party in the general election.
The study found that if Prop 14 is implemented, decline-to-state and third-party voters could give a boost to the more moderate candidate for close contests in districts that would likely produce general election match-ups between two candidates from the same party.
Unsurprisingly, the report found that districts most affected by the proposed primary system change would be super-majority districts -- those where one party has a voter registration advantage of at least 25 percentage points.
CGS broke down the registration and voter-turnout figures for recent primary elections and found that more than one-third of general election races could end up being fought between two members of the same party. Most of those single-party contests would be between two Democrats (largely in Los Angeles County and the Bay Area). Just two of the races analyzed in the study would have resulted in a general election between two Republicans.
The report also found that campaigns would be "significantly more expensive" under Proposition 14, mainly because candidates would have to campaign to a broader base of voters, as opposed to just voters in their party, in the primary.
Click here to read the full report.
Latest posts:
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.