PROP 14, “OPEN” PRIMARY MEASURE, MAY FACE CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES
 

By Miriam Raftery

June 9, 2010 (Sacramento) – Two ballot measures heavily backed by powerful utility and insurance industry money failed to win approval from voters. By narrow margins, Proposition 16 and 17 were defeated.  A third controversial measure, which would eliminate party primary elections, won passage by voters but may face legal challenges in court. 

Prop 14 would ban party primaries, allow candidates to run without disclosing party, ban write-in candidates, and allow a general election run-off between two candidates in the same party

June 2, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) - A recent poll shows 60% of voters support Prop 14, the so-called “open primary” initiative on the June 8 ballot. But the measure goes far beyond “open primary” measures elsewhere. Opponents say most people don’t understand the implications of the measure, which is opposed by both the Democratic and Republican parties in California as well as minor parties including the Libertarian, Green and Peace & Freedom Parties.