Open Primary Gives Voters Moderate Option to Balance Both Parties
By Curt Taras | 05/16/2012 | California, Congressional | 16 Comments
On May 7, 2012 voters can began voting in California’s first “Top Two Open Primary”. Previously, candidates running for office appeared only on their own party ballot. Now, under the “Top-Two Open Primary Act”, all candidates running, regardless of their party preference, will appear on a single combined ballot. For the first time, voters can also select a “No Party Preference” candidate in the primary election. This change gives voters the option to select a Moderate candidate that balances the views of both parties. In office, a “No Party Preference” candidate holds a powerful split vote to break stalemates between the parties. This vote can be instrumental in passing budgets, approving projects, and making decisions.
I am the “No Party Preference” candidate for the United States House of Representatives California District 7. This new district represents the Sacramento County Suburbs. It’s a more compact district and was designed by the Citizen’s Commission for Redistricting to eliminate the gerrymandering which snaked the previous district all the way to the Nevada border. In my opinion, it’s a better district for the voter because it is centered in Sacramento County to more effectively represent the needs of a growing suburban population.
As the “No Party Preference” congressional candidate, I am focused strictly on addressing our economic recovery and not on fighting political ideology. My goals for my first term are: 1) Create jobs by landing a company headquarters along the Hwy 50 and 99 corridors, 2) Reduce commutes by building a bridge across the American River between Watt and Sunrise, and 3) Interconnect Elk Grove to El Dorado via a byway. These important tasks have been delayed by a lack of leadership and I intend to complete them.
To create jobs for our area, I recently wrote George Lucas, director of the Star Wars movie series, to invite him to locate his new Lucas Films digital arts campus at Mather Field or at the recently annexed expansion of Folsom. This was in response to an announcement George Lucas made titled, “Lucas Films pulls out of Marin.” As Congressman, I will continue to invite employers like Lucas Films to locate here and do everything I can to retain the employers we already have. This is what cities are doing to bring in employers. This is what Chicago did to encourage Boeing to move its headquarters there from Seattle. This is what I will do for the Sacramento region if elected your Congressman. Please consider a “No Party Preference” candidate this election and break the party stalemate so we can get down to business.
Editors Note: Curt Taras is an independent candidate for Congress in California’s 7th Congressional District. (www.VoteCurt.com).




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16 Comments
Kymberly Bays
05.16.2012
@kymberlybays
Welcome to IVN, Curt! I like that you have actionable items you intend to see through if elected. How is your campaign reaching out to the electorate, given the new open primary system?
Kevin Hannaford
05.16.2012
I wish people would get over this sad fantasy that there’s anyone out there that everyone will agree with.. all an open primary accomplishes is allowing democrats to vote for a republican in the primary and vice versa.. for the love of God just call it what it is!!!
Var Enyo
05.16.2012
Or to try to get in crazy people like Tavitz
Ailene Randolph
05.16.2012
Just consider what happen in Indiana’s closed primary recently
Kevin Hannaford
05.16.2012
that the “party” elected the “party’s” representative?
Kevin Hannaford
05.16.2012
the purpose of a primary is to select the person who most closely represents their party’s point of view..
Kevin Hannaford
05.16.2012
if you choose to designate yourself as a member of some obscure no-name party that consts of about 12 people.. you’re isolating yourself and will never achieve anything.. ie. the Constipation party or Losertarian party… both points of view are extremely valid and valuable to this nation.. but isolating themselves so deeply assures that they will always fail..
Kevin Hannaford
05.16.2012
Ron Paul at least understood this well enough to run as a republican.. sure he didn’t win.. but he was a million times more successful than any third party candidate could have ever hoped to be
Lindsey Horn
05.16.2012
America needs to do away with political parties altogether. George Washington warned about them, and now we are seeing why.
Bruce Stevens
05.16.2012
Not true, George Wallace set the record. The GOP was so scared of him. They had the CIA shoot him.
Independent Voter
05.16.2012
Kevin Hannaford You are misunderstood on what a nonpartisan open primary does. Party doesn’t matter, obscure or not. The purpose of a primary (paid for by tax dollars) should not be to elect party leaders, but to narrow the candidates that represent the constituency as a whole, not a narrow group of partisan voters. Finally, Kevin, the vitriolic and hyperbolic nature of your commenting is becoming an increasing distraction to independent voters on this page trying to have a civil discussion of facts.
Al Nava
05.17.2012
No, the option of “No Party Preference” will not lead to more “moderate candidates”. It will lead to the best candidate who may be Progressive, Liberal, Moderate, or Conservative in their respective districts/ states.
Al Nava
05.17.2012
Also, this will weaken the Republican & Democratic parties.
danielhowle
05.17.2012
@danielhowle
The Top Two Open Primary was written to give every voter an equal opportunity to vote for any candidate they choose and, if they desired, run for office on an equal basis as party candidates. It wasn’t meant to elect more moderates. The idea was very simple, give every voter the broadest choice of candidates to vote for. After that, let the cards fall where they may.
Owensboro Progressives
05.17.2012
The Democratic and Republican parties have platforms and historic positions that define them and their candidates. If a candidate doesn’t post a party preference, how does one know what they stand for?? It is advantageous to have more parties on the ballot, and better ballot access for third parties – but is IVN suggesting there should be no party preference listed on any ballots??? This could lead to the candidate who can purchase the most air time to plead his case winning the election – and be another case of money winning instead of the best candidate winning.
Candidate Curt Taras
05.28.2012
Thanks for the comments. The Elk Grove Citizen also ran an interview covering my independent run for Congress. I am running exactly as what independent is supposed to be. Not as a third party but simply and truly as a citizen. I am surprised by some of the hesitation to welcome this idea. I think it will be a major trend for the next decade of elections. Curt