Independent Steve Poizner won a Top-Two spot in his historic Primary Victory in the Race for California Insurance Commissioner. It is a positive sign for Independent Candidates running up and down the Ballot across the Country.
With 99% of Precincts Reporting, Poizner led with 41% of the Vote in a Four-Way Contest against Two Democratic Candidates and a Third Party Candidate, despite being outspent.
Independent Candidates Petition directly on the General Election Ballot, except in California and Washington, under Top-Two Primary Elections.
Unite America's Executive Director, Nick Troiano, had this to say about Steve's Win:
“In the first statewide primary contest of the 2018 election cycle that included an independent candidate, voters overwhelming supported the candidate who campaigned on taking a non-partisan, problem-solving approach to his job. We’ve long known that voters say they would like to have a new option on their ballot. Steve Poizner’s primary victory for California Insurance Commissioner now demonstrates voters will, in fact, support a credible and viable third option. There is a ‘red, white and blue wave’ building among an electorate that is eager to support candidates who put people above party. We congratulate Steve on his historic primary win, which gives him an opportunity to become the first independent statewide elected official in the largest state in our country. Steve is helping to pave the way forward for a national independent movement.”
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
1 comment:
Hawaii is the third state in which independent candidates must run in the primary. In the primary, they can't run in November unless they outpoll a party nominee for the same office, or unless the poll 10% of the primary vote. So in effect, an independent candidate in Hawaii (other than president) can't get on the November ballot unless a minor party candidate is running in the primary for the same office. Few voters choose to vote in a minor party primary race, so a typical independent candidate can generally outpoll the minor party candidate in the primary.
It's about impossible for an independent to poll 10% of the primary vote, and Hawaii independent candidates know this, so independent candidates typically persuade someone to file in a minor party primary for the same office. Hawaii generally has 6 parties on the ballot any there is no registration by party, so anyone can file in any party primary. An independent candidate can persuade some friend to file.
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