Oregon Measure 90 (2014)

[ElectionsGuy]

Description: Creates an open, top-two primary election system. Full Details.

No (likes democracy)

[Miles]

Yes. I'd prefer it be the LA version, as opposed to the CA/WA version, but I'd still rather it over the partisan system.

[SNJ1985]

No (not a Democrat or Republican)

[Del Tachi]

Yes

[Frodo]

Vote 'yes' -we can thank the closed primary for helping contribute to the polarization we see today.  Anything that can cut down on the partisan rancor is much appreciated.   

[Vega]

The top-two primary system is one tiny baby step to improve democracy in the U.S.

Yes.

[Spamage]

I voted no.

[Goldwater]

Yes

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Their are better ways to escape the lousiness of closed primaries than the crude top-two primary method.

[Mr. Illini]

No, because I do not think that this is the best manner in which to address the issue. I favor a ballot in which you receive the parties side by side and must choose which party to vote in each race, allowing for switching between races.

I'm pretty sure this has been floated, but I don't remember the name of it.

I have always favored this method, but it became even more important to me when last Spring I took a Republican ballot just for the honor to vote for my GOP state rep who voted for same-sex marriage in the IL house. I helped him fend off his social conservative hack challenger handily.

[ElectionsGuy]

Vote 'yes' -we can thank the closed primary for helping contribute to the polarization we see today.  Anything that can cut down on the partisan rancor is much appreciated.   

I'm assuming partisanship in California and Washington has gone down since 'top-two' was enacted?

[muon2]

No, because I do not think that this is the best manner in which to address the issue. I favor a ballot in which you receive the parties side by side and must choose which party to vote in each race, allowing for switching between races.

I'm pretty sure this has been floated, but I don't remember the name of it.

I have always favored this method, but it became even more important to me when last Spring I took a Republican ballot just for the honor to vote for my GOP state rep who voted for same-sex marriage in the IL house. I helped him fend off his social conservative hack challenger handily.

The problem with this type of open primary is that it infringes on the parties freedom of association. A traditional open primary (like in IL) allows voters to choose which party to associate with on election day, and they may change it at the next election. Some states have ruled that a fully open primary goes too far and instead support a closed primary where partisan declarations are made in advance of the primary, or in some states the parties are allowed to separately choose the form (one open, one closed).

The top-two or blanket primary avoids the association problem by completely eliminating partisan primaries. Association can be accomplished by candidates stating their party preference, though that is not necessary to the blanket primary model.

[TNF]

This measure would literally make American democracy even more of a joke.

[Rockefeller GOP]

Vote 'yes' -we can thank the closed primary for helping contribute to the polarization we see today.  Anything that can cut down on the partisan rancor is much appreciated.   

[TDAS04]

Yes.

[Negusa Nagast 🚀]

No. The top-2 primary does not moderate the candidates like it claims to do, and significantly disadvantages third parties.

[SWE]

This measure would literally make American democracy even more of a joke.

[New_Conservative]

No. The top-2 primary does not moderate the candidates like it claims to do, and significantly disadvantages third parties.

[greenforest32]

The original undemocratic flaw is the artificial restriction of a two-party system. Further entrenching it by making the 10-20% turn-out primary elections even more decisive and using them to eliminate all third-parties in the general election is hardly a democratic improvement. You won't be surprised who is significantly backing a measure like this.

On the other hand, it's the corrupt two-party system that makes closed primaries lose their persuasiveness; why should the only two effective choices voters have be decided in exclusive primaries? I voted no though the status quo is pretty bad. Instant run-off voting would be better, proportional representation more so. The U.S. electoral system is yet another thing tilted in favor of the wealthy and powerful.

[Dixie Reborn]

Yes. Oregon is a very blue state, so as a Republican I believe the best chance for my party to win here is for a Democratic clown car to unload and for two Republicans to proceed to the GE, like in CA-25 this year and CA-31 in 2012.