The Independent View: Open Our Democracy Act of 2014, HR 5334

Thanks to Richard Winger of Ballot Access News for this post.

Congressman John K. Delaney (D-Maryland) has introduced HR 5334, to require all elections for U.S. House to use the top-two system.

The bill also mandates that election day in November would be a federal holiday, but the bill does not require primary voting day in each state to be a holiday, nor does the bill set up a national primary day.

The bill was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform and the Judiciary on July 31, 2014, which will consider it before possibly sending it on to the House or Senate as a whole.

CLICK HERE to read the bill.

I agree with an Open Primary but disagree with Top Two, as it is too restrictive.

I would rather look at a Top (Pick a Number).

The “Top Three” with Rank Choice Voting System

The “Top Three” system being proposed in Nevada, The Nevada Election Modernization and Reform Act (NEMRA), would keep the Top Two preliminary but advance more than two candidates to the general election. This more open and diverse general election would be conducted by ranked choice voting, ensuring that the increased number of candidates would not result in outcries over “spoiler” candidates.

The "Top Four" with Ranked Choice Voting System

The "Top Four" system uses a two-round election cycle to elect a candidate to a single-seat office like mayor, governor, or senator. There is no state-sponsored “primary” election in which political parties nominate candidates, though political parties remain free to endorse candidates by any means they choose. The first round consists of a preliminary election taking place just before the general election, as close to the general election as administratively feasible. In that election, all candidates seeking the office run against each other irrespective of party preference. Every voter casts a single vote for a preferred candidate.

The general election ballot then includes the four candidates who received the most votes in the preliminary election, again irrespective of party preference. The general election is then conducted by ranked choice voting.

Mike's Blanket Primary

My preferred option is a type of Blanket Primary where the top vote getter for the major and mini parties, independent candidates, and write-ins go to the general. Then in the general, you would use ranked choice voting, so you could still voter for favorite son/daughter or vanity candidate.

What would your Open Primary system look like?