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ELECTION RIGHTS OF POLITICAL PARTIES.
Legislative Constitutional Amendment

THE QUESTION

Should the California Constitution be amended to include the right of a political party participating in a primary election to also participate in the general election for that office?

BACKGROUND

California generally holds two statewide elections to elect a candidate to public office--a primary election (in March) and a general election (in November). Some public offices (such as the Governor and members of the Legislature) are partisan, which means that a candidate represents a political party in an election. For partisan offices, the primary election determines each political party's nominee for the office. The candidate receiving the most votes among a party's candidates is that party's nominee for the general election. In the general election, voters then choose among all of the parties' nominees, as well as any independent candidates, to elect a candidate to office.

PROPOSAL

Participation in the General Election. This measure places into the State Constitution a requirement that all parties that participate in a primary election be able to advance their top vote-getting candidate to the general election. This requirement is met by the current process for elections as described above.

Related Provisions in Proposition 62. Proposition 62 on this ballot also contains provisions affecting which primary candidates advance to the general election ballot. That measure would require that only the top two vote-getters in the primary--regardless of party identification--advance to the general election. As a result, under Proposition 62, each party would not be guaranteed to have a candidate on the general election ballot. The State Constitution provides that if the provisions of two approved propositions are in conflict, only the provisions of the measure with the higher number of yes votes at the statewide election take effect.

FISCAL EFFECTS

Under current law, all parties that participate in a primary can have their top vote-getting candidate advance to the general election. This measure, therefore, would not require any changes to election procedures. As a result, the measure's election provisions would have no fiscal effect on state and local governments.

WHAT A YES OR NO VOTE MEANS

A YES vote means that any political party that participates in a primary election would have the constitutional right to have its nominee on the subsequent general election ballot.

A NO vote means that no provisions would be added to the California Constitution regarding state primary elections.

SUPPORTERS SAY

Proposition 60:

• Protects voter choice by guaranteeing that every political party that nominates a candidate for partisan office in a primary election will then be able to compete in the subsequent general election.
• Gives voters a simple, straightforward alternative to Proposition 62, which is a radical scheme to eliminate the current primary election system

OPPONENTS SAY

Proposition 60:

• Does not spell out what type of primary election California will have, leaving the door open for special-interest changes that will harm our electoral system.
• Is a "poison pill" measure designed to kill Proposition 62's open primary system by rendering it unconstitutional

SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION

Official ballot arguments in support are signed by Dan Stanford, Former Chairman, California Fair Political Practices Commission; Barbara O'Connor, Director, Institute for the Study of Politics & Media, CA State University, Sacramento; George N. Zenovich, Associate Justice, Retired, 5th District Court of Appeal; Michael S. Carona, Sheriff, Orange County; and Henry L. "Hank" Lacayo, State President, Congress of California Seniors.

Official ballot arguments in opposition are signed by State Senator Bill Morrow and State Assemblymember Sarah Reyes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Supporters

Committee to Preserve Voter Choice, (916) 443-5900, www.Yeson60.com

Opponents

No contact information available.

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