Search query: california

Independent voters are used to seeing people blame them for anything that happens in US politics. They are told that if only they voted for “Candidate X” a particular action wouldn’t have happened. The accusation has been raised time and time again, and it is surfacing once more in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. People have said, “If you didn’t vote for Hillary Clinton, this is your fault.” It is an emotionally-charged accusation. It is also one that fails to

California voters have a chance to make history this year by electing independent leaders to the state’s top executive offices for the first time in modern history. Among these independent candidates is an openly gay, pro-choice, tough on crime, Republican-turned-independent running for attorney general. No Party Preference (NPP) gubernatorial candidate Michael Shellenberger has tremendous financial backing, and could beat out a weak Republican field with a message that targets Democrats’ poor

Just when you thought Donald Trump and Nancy Pelosi were on different sides of the aisle, current California Assembly member and congressional candidate Adam Gray is getting attacked by one side of the aisle for being a Trump supporter — and by the other side for being a Pelosi supporter. Adam Gray, who represents California’s 21st Assembly District, is a registered Democrat. However, he is well-known for not always toeing the party line. This is why he is often referred to as an “independent”

A third of Maine’s electorate will have an opportunity for meaningful participation in taxpayer-funded elections. Governor Janet Mills allowed a bill to go into law Monday that creates a semi-open primary system that gives independent voters a say in the state's primaries. “When we encourage and allow more voters to participate in our elections, we all benefit,” said state Senator Chloe Maxmin (D-Lincoln), who sponsored the legislation. “Voters have been asking for semi-open primaries for years

Michael Maxsenti, co-host of the podcast Front and Center with Steve and Michael and an advisor to the new Common Sense Party of California, joins host T.J. O’Hara on Deconstructed to talk about the podcast and the novel new party that is trying to shake things up in California. Mr. Maxsenti is a political activist who has been at the forefront of a number of initiatives designed to overcome the political divide. Along with his political interests, he also brings a strong business perspective ha

In most of the country independent voters, despite their growing numbers, are marginalized by closed partisan primary systems in which the winners are virtually pre-determined in low turnout primaries -- before independent voters can weigh in. Not so in California, where a decade-old non-partisan primary system lets all voters, including independents, vote in an open primary that advances the top two vote getters to the General Election, regardless of party. Although California’s nonpartisan s

A bill that would roll back momentum behind ranked choice voting (RCV) in California was stopped in committee Wednesday. If approved, the legislation would have banned the alternative voting method’s use statewide, including in jurisdictions that use it for local elections. AB 2808, authored by Democratic Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell, makes several false assertions about the alternative voting method to paint it as undemocratic. The bill also robs voters of the ability to decide for themsel

California voters could soon see major systemic changes made to the state’s recall process for governor. A new bill introduced in the California Legislature would change how candidates qualify for the recall ballot and calls for a new voting method that is fairer to all voters. Independent Assemblymember Chad Mayes introduced AB 2161 to address one of the most glaring and controversial problems with the current recall process: If a governor is recalled, the person who replaces him or her can wi

It doesn’t seem like there is much these days that can unite Republicans and Democrats. However, one thing both parties have consistently agreed on is that nothing should threaten their grip on power. The current electoral process is designed to serve the interests of the dominant two parties and their members. If there is a reform that threatens to upset the apple cart, it will encounter resistance from those who have the most to lose from a fairer, more equitable process. This will include l

In an email sent to supporters, former President Donald Trump issued a statement in support of proposed legislation in Wyoming, SF0097, which would shut voters not affiliated with the two major parties out of taxpayer-funded primary elections. It’s a position that runs in stark contrast to the populist approach he ran on in 2016 and 2020. “This critically important bill ensures that the voters in each party will separately choose their nominees for the general election, which is how it should b