New Arkansas Bill: Nonpartisan Elections Needed to Combat Partisan Extremism

image
Published: 13 Mar, 2017
Updated: 17 Oct, 2022
2 min read

Some legislators in Arkansas are joining the fight for a more open and transparent political process that includes all voters regardless of their party affiliation, or lack thereof.

On March 1, State Representative Dan Douglas (R) introduced HB1766, which would institute what the bill calls a "nonpartisan blanket primary" system, by amending the state’s election code. The bill was co-sponsored by Representative Clarke Tucker (D), giving it bipartisan support in the House.

The blanket primary proposed in the bill is actually similar to the nonpartisan, top-two primary systems in California and Washington state, according to its cosponsor. All candidates running for Congress or state office would appear on one single primary ballot, and voters would be able to pick any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation.

The two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, would move on to the general election. The law would not apply to elections concerning a county office, municipal office, or township office.

IVN talked to Rep. Tucker, who explained the importance of passing electoral reform:

“If you live in a district that goes one way or the other , the candidate is decided in the primary. So if it’s a majority Democratic district, Republicans basically have no say of who their representative will be because the decision is made in the primaries. Same goes the other way around… but if the decision is made in the general election, everybody gets a say.” - State Rep. Clarke Tucker

Tucker considers this piece of legislation a voters' rights bill. Both he and Representative Douglas are engaging in a bipartisan effort to give an equal voice to all voters. They also hope a nonpartisan election system will increase voter turnout and reduce the number of "party extremists" in the state legislature.

“When you have districts that are majorly Democrats or Republicans, either naturally or because of gerrymandering, the only political insensitive for politicians is to not lose in the primary and when that is the intention it makes for more extreme partisan candidates instead of moderates. We have a lot of extreme in our politics now, we need more of the other kind.” - State Rep. Clarke Tucker

But the bill could have a tough time in the legislature. After Douglas and Tucker introduced the bill, they realized it may be necessary to first amend the state’s constitution for it to become law.

Tucker believes this hurts the bill's chances during the current legislative session, but said both he and Douglas are committed to the cause and they would fight for it and see it through, either in this session or the next one.

Photo Credit: Niyazz / shutterstock.com

IVP Donate

Latest articles

CA capitol building dome with flags.
Why is CA Senator Mike McGuire Trying to Kill the Legal Cannabis Industry?
California’s legal cannabis industry is under mounting pressure, and in early June, state lawmakers and the governor appeared poised to help. A bill to freeze the state’s cannabis excise tax at 15% sailed through the State Assembly with a unanimous 74-0 vote. The governor’s office backed the plan. And legal cannabis businesses, still struggling to compete with unregulated sellers and mounting operating costs, saw a glimmer of hope....
03 Jul, 2025
-
7 min read
I voted buttons
After First RCV Election, Charlottesville Voters Back the Reform: 'They Get It, They Like It, They Want to Do It Again'
A new survey out of Charlottesville, Virginia, shows overwhelming support for ranked choice voting (RCV) following the city’s first use of the system in its June Democratic primary for City Council. Conducted one week after the election, the results found that nearly 90% of respondents support continued use of RCV....
03 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read
Crowd in Time Square.
NYC Exit Survey: 96% of Voters Understood Their Ranked Choice Ballots
An exit poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the nonprofit better elections group FairVote finds that ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to be supported by a vast majority of voters who find it simple, fair, and easy to use. The findings come in the wake of the city’s third use of RCV in its June 2025 primary elections....
01 Jul, 2025
-
6 min read