California - Independent Voter News

In New York, 7% of Voters Just Decided for the Other 93%

NY Partisan Primary Proves Superiority of California’s Nonpartisan Primary System.

By

/ June 25, 2026

Person walking into a voting location for the New York primary, the turnout of which was among the lowest in the country.

The Plan to Strip 6.9 Million Californians of Voting Rights Could Haunt Politicians

Undoing Top Two means telling 6.9 million independent voters they may no longer participate in primary elections unless they sign up with a club they have already decided not to join.

By

Steve Peace

/ June 24, 2026

A picture of Bill Cavala, filled out by IVN staff to fit the necessary dimensions of a featured article image.

Don't Scrap Top-Two. Fix Its Strategic Voting Problem.

The sky didn't fall. The dreaded two-Republican scenario never materialized. Once again, Democratic fears of a top-two disaster proved unfounded.

By

John E Palmer

/ June 16, 2026

California voter headed into a polling location to vote in the June 2 Top Two primary.

The Top Two Panic Wasn’t Analysis. It Was Political Manipulation.

California voters did exactly what voters tend to do: they evaluated the candidates, coalesced around viable contenders, and produced a result broadly reflective of the state's electorate.

By

Open Primaries

/ June 3, 2026

A group of California voters cast their ballots in the June 2 Top Two primary.

Why Does It Take California So Long to Count Ballots?

California has developed a reputation for taking as long as a month to fully count its ballots. The question many have is, why? Here is what voters need to know.

By

Shawn Griffiths

/ June 2, 2026

Why Does It Take California So Long to Count Ballots?

Poll: Only 22% of Latino Voters Support Return to Partisan Primaries. Becerra Big Lead for Governor.

A majority of California Latino voters say they want to keep the nonpartisan Top Two primary or modify it to advance more than two candidates to the general election. They don't want the state to go back to closed primaries.

By

IVN Editorial Board

/ May 28, 2026

California voters at the polls. A new poll shows most Latino voters want to keep nonpartisan open primaries.

How California's Top Two Nonpartisan Primary Transformed the Legislature

The system Republican and Democratic party insiders want to "undo" produced a legislature where women hold 49 percent of seats, people of color hold 55 percent, and Latinos have reached a third of the body for the first time.

By

Cara Brown McCormick

/ May 27, 2026

Undo the Top Two campaign to repeal Top Two, which has created more diversity in the California Legislature. Steve Maviglio, Paul Mitchell, Ron Nerhing, Carl DeMaio.

The Forces Trying to Kill 'Top Two' Can't Read Their Own Polling

A partisan pollster finds 70% support for open primaries and calls it erosion

By

IVN Editorial Board

/ May 26, 2026

Party insiders are going after California Top Two, but their arguments aren't supported by their own polling.

Guide to California’s Political Parties and Their Official Platforms

Each of the state's qualified parties outlines its vision in official Statements of Purpose filed with the California Secretary of State.

By

Cara Brown McCormick

/ May 24, 2026

Guide to California's political parties.

Report: California Has Tried Ranked Choice Voting for 20 Years. The Scare Tactics Don’t Hold Up.

A new FairVote report finds RCV cities in California have saved money, increased participation in decisive elections, and elected more women and candidates of color.

By

Shawn Griffiths

/ May 22, 2026

Report: California Has Tried Ranked Choice Voting for 20 Years. The Scare Tactics Don’t Hold Up.

Democrats and MAGA Are Working Together on THIS (Not What You Expect)

You'd think Democrats and MAGA Republicans agree on nothing - but they just quietly teamed up to do one specific thing: shut 7 million California independent voters out of the primary. We're naming names.

By

Independent Voter Podcast

/ May 21, 2026

MAGA and Democrats work together to close California's primaries.

CADEM Chair Supports Repealing Top Two. Here's What He's Not Telling Voters.

This week, the Democratic Party chair chose to abandon more than 5 million independent voters in California to embrace a regressive proposal to roll back voter rights.

By

Steve Peace

/ May 19, 2026

California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks