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Primary systems legislation in the United States, 2018
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Primary elections allow voters to determine which candidates compete in the general election and can be nonpartisan or partisan. In partisan primaries, voters choose the candidates they prefer for a political party to nominate in the general election.
The laws governing primary elections vary from state to state and can even vary within states by locality and political party. For example, only registered party members are allowed to vote in closed primaries, while registered party members and unaffiliated voters are allowed to vote in semi-closed primaries, and all voters are allowed to vote in open primaries.
Primary elections also vary by the way their outcomes are determined. Majority systems require the winning candidate to receive at least fifty percent of the votes cast, while plurality systems do not. In top-two primaries, top-four primaries, and blanket primaries, all candidates are listed on the same ballot, regardless of partisan affiliation.
This article presents information about state legislation relevant to primary systems that was considered in 2018. Information about relevant state and local ballot measures proposed for the 2018 ballot is also provided. See the map and table below for further state-specific details.[1]
Legislation
The map below provides the number of primary systems bills that were considered in each state in 2018. Hover over a state to see the exact number of bills. A darker shade of red indicates a greater number of relevant bills. In those states shaded in white, relevant bills were not considered. For state-specific details, click a state in the map below or select a state from the drop-down menu beneath the map. A list of state legislation will display, including information about bill status and links to full text. This information is provided by BillTrack50.com. To return to the map, click "Back" in the upper righthand corner of the legislation list.
See below for a complete list of primary systems bills. To learn more about a particular bill, click its title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
Legislation analysis
In 2018, we tracked 22 bills pertaining to primary systems policy, addressing such issues as top-two primaries and open primaries. Of these 22 bills, none were enacted into law.
- Examples of proposed bills:
- Alaska HB200: Had it been enacted, HB200 would have established a top-two primary system in Alaska. In a top-two primary, all candidates, regardless of partisan affiliation, are listed in the same ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of their partisan affiliations, advance to the general election. The bill, which was introduced in the House in 2017, failed to clear committee.
- Illinois HB0285: Had it been enacted, HB0285 would have established a top-two primary system in Illinois. The bill, which was introduced in the House in 2017, failed to clear committee.
Ballot measures
The term ballot measures describes all questions or issues that appear on election ballots for voters to approve or reject. Ballot measures may apply to state and local jurisdictions (including cities, counties, special districts, etc.). Initiatives permit citizens to propose (or initiate) statutes or constitutional amendments via petition. Referenda allow citizens to refer statutes passed by legislatures to the ballot for enactment or repeal by voters. Legislative referrals appear on voters' ballots as a result of actions taken by legislatures; these can include state statutes, constitutional amendments, and bond issues.
The sections below list ballot measures related to primary systems in 2018. These are proposed measures that may or may not have made the ballot in 2018. For additional information about the status of these measures, click the links below.
2018
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measure(s) pertaining to primary elections for 2018.
- California Repeal Top-Two Primary Initiative (2018)
- Florida Primary Elections Voter Inclusion Amendment (2018)
- South Dakota Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative (2018)
- Utah Direct Primary Elections for Party Nominations Initiative (2018)
- Utah Allow Caucus-Convention Method for Party Nominations Initiative (2018)
See also
- Electoral policy legislation in the United States, 2018
- Redistricting legislation in the United States, 2018
- Federal redistricting legislation in the United States, 2017-2019 (115th Congress)
- Electoral systems legislation in the United States, 2018
- Primary election
Footnotes
- ↑ This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
