Proposition 14 lifts primaries of same-party voting limits

Correction: The original infobox contained an error. Polling will take place at the Rieber Fireside Lounge and De Neve Room A and B.

Polling booths will be scattered throughout the Hill on Tuesday, as students gear up to vote in the state’s first open primary.

The primary will allow voters registered in different political parties to vote for state and congressional candidates on a single ballot ““ a first in many ways.

Previously, the top candidate of each party advanced to the general election in the fall.

Under a newly implemented law, known as the “top two” rule, the two candidates with the greatest number of votes will proceed to the November ballot, regardless of party affiliation.

The law, which passed as Proposition 14 in 2010, applies only to state and congressional primaries, and not to presidential elections. Louisiana and Washington are currently the only states with similar systems for local and state elections.

Candidates for state and congressional offices can no longer rely on their party or incumbency status, said Thomas Schwartz, a professor of political science. They will now have to work harder and possibly adopt more moderate platforms to appeal to more voters, instead of just their party’s demographic, Schwartz said.

In the past, California’s closed primaries focused on the Democratic and Republican parties ““ the two major national political parties.Evania Baginski, a first-year undeclared student and registered Democrat, already voted in the primary through an absentee ballot. She said she was overwhelmed by having all the candidates on a single ballot. It was difficult to stay informed with so many different candidates, she added.

“With everyone on (the same ballot) it’s a different ballgame,” Baginski said.

Jeffrey Lewis, chair of the political science department, said he anticipates the change will be beneficial for voters in regions typically dominated by one party, possibily increasing voter turnout. Orange County, for example, is predominantly Republican.

LeeAnn Patrick, also a first-year undeclared student, said she tends to associate with more moderate candidates and supports any effort, like the open primary, to encourage candidates to take on moderate platforms.

“Normally you want to stick with just your candidate,” she said. “But if you have the option (to vote outside that candidate), you might be slightly more inclined to weigh the options and really get informed about the candidates more.”

Experts say the open primary may increase campaign expenses and exclude smaller political parties from the political system.

It is hard to gauge how the open primary will affect campaign finance, but the new law will affect how relatively smaller parties ““ like the Green Party ““ campaign, Lewis said.

Before, third parties were guaranteed access to the general election ballot if they could prove a certain level of support, he said.

Under the new law, third-party candidates will have to compete with Democrats and Republicans in the primaries instead of solely within their own party.

The new law has created a debate on the effectiveness of a more moderate versus a partisan system of voting, Lewis said.

It is possible for two candidates from the same party to win the primary election and move on to the general election in November under the new rule.

Political party leaders may have to rethink their campaign strategies if two candidates from the same party end up competing against each other in the general election, Schwartz said.

Adam Garelik, a first-year political science student who identifies as Republican, said he would prefer to vote under the old system.

Open primaries influence candidates to re-think their platforms, interfering with the two-party system, Garelik said.

He would rather choose from candidates from two distinct parties, instead of more moderate candidates, he added.

Another problem voters will face on Tuesday is distinguishing which candidates are committed to their platforms and which ones are vying for more votes, Shwartz said.

“Anyone can call themselves a Democrat or a Republican. … There is no vetting process for who is serious about those platforms,” he said.

California students can vote at various locations on the Hill and in Westwood on Tuesday.

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