Ina likely indicator of voter displeasure with all things Sacramentothese days, a recently released poll shows that a clear majority ofCalifornians support the idea of having an "open primary" which wouldallow the two top vote-getters (regardless of party) to advance to thegeneral election.
According to the San Francisco-based Public Policy Institute of California,the open primary idea -- one of several last minute deals brokered fromthis year's tortured state budget negotiations -- received a 59 percentfavorable rating during a recent survey. Only 31 percent thought it was a bad idea.
Althoughthe question will not appear on the May 19 special election ballot,Californians will soon get their chance to decide whether to open upthe structure of our primary elections.
Thisparticular kind of open primary is technically a voter-nominatedprimary and not a party-nominated one. That's not to say that partieswon't have an influence on the process -- far from it. They will stillbe able to sponsor, campaign and support their particular favorites.
But if "No-Name" and "Also-Ran" happen to collect thelargest number of votes, then they go on to the fall general election.
Sometimesthere is a certain beauty in acts of political symbolism. This may beone of them. The idea of the voters establishing open primaries can'thelp but appeal to those with populist streaks and those that havebecome tired of hearing the same rhetoric of the two main parties.
Interestingly,Golden State voters rejected the idea of establishing open primaries in2004. That year, Prop. 62, the Voter Choice Open Primary Act, went downto defeat in large part due to a successful competing measure, Prop.60, which would have served to reaffirm the state's party-drivenprimary process.
This all may be much ado about nothing.
Evenif the voters approve the measure, money -- for good or bad -- willcontinue to influence election outcomes. And let's face it, Democratsand Republicans are the best and most experienced at raising the mostcampaign cash. No one else is better at getting the fat cats to writethe fat checks.
Thatsaid, if voters approve open primaries in the state, at least theelectoral barn door for third parties will have been unlocked. Whatthey do with that opportunity remains to be seen.
Jeff Mitchell is a longtime California journalist and political observer.
