[EL] how California and Washington could return to a constitutional blanket primary

[Richard Winger]

In 2000, in Cal. Dem. Party v Jones, the US Supreme Court invalidated California's blanket primary, on the theory that freedom of association forbids a state from forcing a party to let members of other parties help choose its nominees.
California and Washington, which once had blanket primaries, could return to them, if the new blanket primary law said that any party that doesn't wish to participate in the blanket primary could nominate by convention.  Both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party of California have been suffering under the top-two system, and I believe both parties would eagerly return to the blanket primary.  Republicans are suffering from the fear that they will have no one on the November ballot for US Senate and perhaps Governor.  Democrats are suffering because in 4 US House districts, their otherwise good chances of gaining Republican seats may be thwarted by too many Democrats in the primary, so ending up with no one on in November.

Alaska currently uses a blanket primary, which shows that the mere existence of a blanket primary is not forbidden; it is only forbidden to force parties to use it. Richard Winger 415-922-9779 PO Box 470296, San Francisco Ca 94147
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