Florida Voters could make one of the Biggest Changes ever to State Elections if they Approve a Proposed Ballot Measure in 2020 to have a Top-Two State Primary also called a “Jungle” Primary Open to All Voters.
In this type of system, the Top-Two Vote-Getters, regardless of Party, would Advance to a General Election. That means Voters could End Up making a General Election Choice between Two Democrats or Two Republicans if they Finish First and Second.
In 2018, the Top-Two Finishers in the Two Gubernatorial Major Party Primaries were: Republicans Ron DeSantis and Adam Putnam, with Five Democrats Splitting the Vote in their Race.
Supporters, including Mike Fernandez, a Billionaire Miami Insurance Executive who has put $6.3 Million into the Campaign, say it would finally Allow the State’s 3.6 Million Non-Party Voters barred from Closed Party Primaries to Participate Fully.
“This is not one person’s folly,” Fernandez said. “How about voters just vote for whoever they want to? Why put a label on [candidates]?”
Critics, citing how California’s Politics have been Transformed by the Jungle Primary it adopted in 2010, say it would have Severe Effects for any Party Shut Out of a Major Statewide Race. “It’s a whole other new, crazy system that only a few other states do,” said Matthew Isbell, who Runs the MCI Maps website devoted to Political Mapmaking and Analysis. “It’s a pretty big jump all at once.”
The Republican and Democratic Parties are both Opposed to the Idea. The GOP filed a Brief with the State Supreme Court seeking to Prevent the Measure from getting on the Ballot, and Democrats Plan one of their own.
For Fernandez, a Longtime Republican Donor who Left the Party after the Nomination of President Trump in 2016, the All Voters Vote Proposal stemmed from Finding out he wouldn’t be able to Vote in Closed Primaries after becoming an Independent. I found another Civic Course Delinquent.
Steve Vancore, a General Consultant to the Campaign, said the Petition is getting more than 4,000 Signatures a day and just Passed 700,000, including the necessary Numbers in 11 of the Required 14 Congressional Districts. It will need about 766,000 to Qualify for the 2020 Ballot, he added, though it still Needs to be Approved by the State Supreme Court.
The Campaign originally had Two Joint Petitions, One for Federal Races like Congress and Senate and Another for State Races including Governor and Legislature. Concerns over Meeting the “single issue” Criteria for Referendums led them to Choose to Only Focus on State Races. They also said Jungle Primaries, rather than just Opening Up Party Primaries to Independent Voters as other States do, was the best way of bringing Unaffiliated Voters into the Mix, who would then be able to Pick their Candidates, not be Forced to Select from a Parties Choices.
State GOP Chair Joe Gruters cited a Sept. 30th Column he penned for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, in which he wrote, “This is not an open primary, this an abolishment of primaries. ... This amendment completely changes what a ‘primary election’ is in Florida — but doesn’t tell voters that.”
State Democratic Spokeswoman Caroline Rowland said a Proposal “which eliminates the chance for a Democrat to make the ballot is not democratic.”
The Petition, she added, “is a thinly veiled attempt by wealthy special interests to stifle democracy, plain and simple.”
I have been taking about this Issue for awhile. I proposed a Top-Three Primary, to give other Minor Party, Independents, and Write-In, Candidates a chance to get on the General Election Ballot. I would also use Ranked-Choice Voting in the Primary.
UPDATE from Richard Winger of Ballot Access News
For a Fourth time, Florida’s Top Attorney is Challenging an Amendment, Top-Two Primary, Proposal to the State’s Highest Court. While Voters remained Split on the Issue, the GOP, Democrats, and Attorney General Ashley Moody, are Aligned. All are Challenging the Measure before the Florida Supreme Court, calling the Proposed Ballot Language "misleading."
(1) All electors qualified to vote for the office being filled shall be allowed to vote in the primary election regardless of the voter’s affiliation or lack of affiliation with a political party and regardless of the candidate’s nomination by, or affiliation with, a political party.
(2) All candidates for an office shall be listed on a single primary ballot regardless of their nomination by, or affiliation with, a political party. Only the two candidates receiving the greatest numbers of votes cast in the primary election shall advance to the general election and appear on that ballot; no other candidate shall appear on the general election ballot. In case of a tie, between candidates with the greatest number of votes, making them eligible to advance to the general election, the winner will be determined by law.
(3) If more than one candidate is to be elected to an office, the number of candidates advancing to the general election shall be twice the number to be elected, with said candidates receiving the greatest number of votes.
(4) Should only two candidates qualify for the same office, no primary election will be held and the winner will be determined in the general election.
(5) Candidates nominated, endorsed, or otherwise selected by a political party to run in the primary election may have such nomination, endorsement, or selection indicated on the ballot in a manner provided by law.
(6) A candidate that is not nominated, endorsed, or otherwise selected by a political party to run in the primary election may have their political party preference, or lack of a political party preference, indicated upon the ballot in a manner provided by law. Designation of a party preference by a candidate under this paragraph shall not constitute or imply the nomination, endorsement, or selection of the candidate by the political party designated.
(7) Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted to prohibit a political party or a party central committee from nominating, endorsing, supporting, or opposing any candidate.
(8)This subsection is effective upon adoption by the voters and is self-executing.
This Court Challenge will likely be the Final Hurdle for the Initiative to get on the Ballot. It’s Expected to hit the necessary Signatures needed in the Next Couple weeks.
The Supreme Court has yet to Set a Date to hear Arguments on the Top-Two Primaries Proposal.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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