They’ve been dead for a while
So I can’t quite muster any new angst about third parties being dead in Cali.
4 Responses to “They’ve been dead for a while”
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June 10th, 2010 at 8:30 am
It’s called a Jungle Primary and Louisiana has been using the system for years. It leads to some interesting results. By interesting, I mean weird, strange results.
The way it works is simple. For any elected office, we have a primary and a general election. Everyone runs in the primary, regardless of party affiliation. The top two vote-getters run head-to-head in the general election. Sometimes, we see two Democrats in the general election.
The Louisiana system was conceived by Edwin Edwards, our famous, now convicted governor. The Republican Party was almost defunct in Louisiana and nearly everybody was registered Democrat. We might have 8 or 10 people running in the Dem primary and the Republicans would get together, have a conference, and put someone on the ticket.
SO, at the end of an expensive, bruising primary, the Dem winner emerged to face a challenger who hadn’t spent any money yet.
Edwards got the law changed to the open (Jungle) primary system so that the Republicans had to get out and mix it up in the primary system. It led to such things as us having to decide between Edwin Edward (crook) and David Duke (Klan wizard). That was the race from hell.
June 10th, 2010 at 11:18 am
Strikes me as a bad idea just for the above mentioned reason. Moves more money to primary and extends that season. we will have continual election cycles if this becomes the norm.
June 10th, 2010 at 11:38 am
So, what you really have is an open general election and a guaranteed run-off.
Sounds like fun. /sarc
June 10th, 2010 at 11:55 am
Even if you think 3rd parties are dead it seems stupid to pass a law to limit their access and competitiveness. It is in the best interest for all of us to get some different blood in there and people that aren’t necessarily part of the party machine given that both parties seem to be fucking things up pretty badly…