Partisan primaries: Good or bad?

Partisan primaries: Good or bad?

Closed primaries: I like partisan primaries, and you ought to have to register with a party to vote in that party's primary. Independents can declare in the booth which ballot they want. Open primaries: Declare which party's ballot you want in the voting booth, but you can't switch if there's a runoff. Keep it the way it is in Arkansas. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Cajun primary: If I support candidates from different parties in different races, I'd like to be able to vote for both of them in a primary. view results

John Brummett's column this morning makes a good point about centrist politics and, at least to me, the way we elect our officials through the partisan primary system. I've always thought that primaries encourage candidates participating in them to play to their respective base. Once that candidate emerges from a heated primary, you'll normally see them switch gears and play to the center.

I'm pretty sure I already know what the results from this poll will look like, and I like the way we do it in Arkansas, but I wouldn't throw a fit if we held our elections the way Louisiana does. Yeah, they do just about everything different, but if you're looking for a system that discourages partisanship and encourages pragmatic populism, then they've got it right. There is no partisan primary there. You line up in a free-for-all election against all other candidates regardless of party affiliation, called a "blanket primary" or a "cajun primary." If you're not fortunate enough to garner 50% + 1, then the top two vote getters will face off in a runoff regardless of party.

That way, rather than debating evolution and spotting UFOs in the primary, you're forced to discuss real issues that will face real families. Even the most apolitical people I talk to about this like the current system, but it never fails that I'll get a call or two each election from someone upset that they couldn't vote in the sheriff's race using a Republican ballot, even though all four candidates were running as Democrats. Still, it would be a monumental change that would've featured seven people on the same ballot in 2006 for Lieutenant Governor. 27 states hold closed primaries, and 22 use the system we use (or one similar).

Previous polls:
Poll No. 7: Notification of MRSA infections
Poll No. 6: "No match" letters
Poll No. 5: Novelty lighters
Poll No. 4: 2007 Razorbacks
Poll No. 3: Governor Beebe's job performance
Poll No. 2: The severance tax
Poll No. 1: Flavored cigarettes