[EL] Prof. Seth Masket paper on Calif. top-two

[Richard Winger]

I want to thank Rick for posting a link to Professor Masket's new paper about the California 2012 top-two experience, but also I want to mention a factual error in the Masket paper.

On page 4 he says before top-two came in, California independent voters could only vote in congressional and state office major party primaries if they joined those parties at the polls on election day.  This is incorrect.  Between 2001 and 2010, any independent who walked into a polling place on primary day was given a card that told him or her about the choices, which included a Dem primary ballot or a Rep primary ballot.  They were not required to become registered members of those parties.

That even Professor Masket could be wrong about this shows how bad the media coverage in California has been on this.  I have a blog post today that links to the 2010 Secretary of State rules on this, plus my blog post includes the exact language given to voters at the polls 2001-2010.  Absentee mail voters were given a chance to choose the type of primary ballot by filling out a postage-paid postcard to the county election office, if they hadn't already indicated a default choice.

Richard Winger

415-922-9779

PO Box 470296, San Francisco Ca 94147
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