VOTE YES Prop 121 – Voto SI en Proposicion 121.

Prop. 121 May Nudge the Nation

Deep discontent is driving the YES vote for Proposition 121, the  Top-two Primary.  Its two-step process, long used by Arizona voters in local non-partisan elections, lets all voters, regardless of party, vote in a single primary election. Voters narrow the list to the top two, who competes in the general election.  Voters, not political parties, control access to the general election ballot.

A survey of 1,065 Arizona voters by 8Sages.com found that if the election were held today, Proposition 121 would win by 14 points. Independents, independent-minded Democrats and Republicans are giving the initiative a resounding lead (by 24, 29, and 15 points, respectively).  Even strong Republicans favor it by 3 points, and it trails by one point among committed Democrats.

Why such broad-based support?

The survey shows the dominant theme this election is unhappy voters. They are displeased with the president’s performance and may even vote him out of office.  But before Republicans dust off their  dancingshoes, they should consider that a majority also would vote Governor Jan Brewer out of office if she were on the ballot.

Hard data on discontent is evident in voter self-identification. Without any reregistration campaign, voters are quietly abandoning all political parties. Democrats have been losing registration since the 1940s, Republicans since the mid-1980s.

Proposition 121 sends a constructive, positive message. It strengthens the consent of the governed.  It increases the pool of voices that hold politicians accountable. Americans are good at this.  Since our founding, we have expanded the franchise – from landed white men, to landless white men, black men, women, Native  Americans, and then young people who were eligible to serve, but not vote for their country.

Proposition 121 might be the tipping point to change the national picture. Its critics know it.  Undisclosed California sources have pumped almost half a million dollars into Arizona to oppose Proposition 121. The money was funneled into the Americans for Responsible Leadership, chaired by Robert Graham a candidate for the Republican State Party Chair.  Once more Arizona is on the cusp of nudging the nation.

Open primary elections is changing the marketplace, increasing competition between candidates, even if they are in the same party. Washington State and California have embraced Proposition 121-like voting systems.  Ballotpedia.com ranks California’s 2012 legislative elections the most competitive in the country.

This year, for the first time in US history, 66 US Senators and Representatives  - 12% of the Congress – must answer to all the people who elected them in California andWashington State.

Add Arizona’s 2 Senators and 9 Representatives to California and Washington State in 2014, then 77 members of Congress will be voter, not party, nominated.   When my friend and legislative colleague Bill Konopnicki and I wrote the first draft of this initiative, we called it the “Sweet Seventy-seven.”  We imagined our Western Congressmen who must appeal to all the voters in their states to get on the general ballot and be elected.  They might less focused on partisan loyalty and more on our shared regional interests.  Proposition 121 offers a better way to express the consent of the governed.

Ted Downing, former two-term state legislator who leads the Arizona Independent Voting Project

If you are sick of elitism and Party bosses, I encourage Americans to say YES to Prop 121.

Former Lt. Governor of California via Abel Maldonado is son of Latino immigrant farm workers-turned-farm owners.

There are several rumors circulating out there where folks are stating myths with regard to how the Top Two will hurt Latinos.  Nothing could be further from the truth and we have California to thank.

Below is a story of a Mexican-American politician via Abel Maldonado who was the former Lt. Governor of California.  He introduced California’s top two open primary and I want to share his success story with Arizona Latinos:

Abel Maldonado: “Top Two” Success Story

With few exceptions, the “Top Two” primary system reform adopted by the voters in 2010 was a bust in 2012.

Proponents hoped that the new process would produce more moderate candidates and fewer candidates at the political extremes. When the votes were counted, the usual suspects from both major parties remained in place, and third party candidates have virtually disappeared.

One exception occurred in the new 24th Congressional district, where moderate Republican Abel Maldonado finished in second place behind Democratic incumbent Lois Capps. Conservative Republican Chris Mitchum finished third.

Under the old system, Mitchum might have won a Republican primary in which more conservative voters turned out. But with the “Top Two” model, voters of any party (or no party) could choose whomever they wanted, with the two candidates receiving the most votes competing in November.

That takes us to Maldonado.

Historically the odd man out in California’s conservative-dominated Republican party, Maldonado is a departure from the norm.

The son of Latino immigrant farm workers-turned-farm owners,  Maldonado occasionally bucked the direction of his Republican colleagues by voting for an assault weapons ban, opposing off-shore oil drilling, and supporting abortion rights.

Most significantly, he was among a handful of legislators to vote for tax increases under then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

In 2009, Maldonado’s last full year in the state senate, Capitol Weekly, a non-partisan observer of state politics, gave him a score of 55 on the conservative-to-liberal continuum, with 0 being the most conservative and 100 being the most liberal.

Maldonado’s relatively moderate posture puts him in good stead in a district that is radically different than the one Capps has served over the past 14 years.

After the 2000 census, Democrats had an 11 point advantage in Capps’ district. After the 2010 census and work of the Citizens’ Independent Redistricting Commission, the Democratic majority in Capps’ district fell to three percent.

Interestingly enough, it was Maldonado who extracted a commitment from the legislature to place the “Top Two” primary system on the ballot in 2010 as part of his price for voting for more taxes. Now he may be in position to cash in.

Larry Gerston teaches political science at San Jose State University and is the political analyst for NBC Bay Area.

According to an independent survey, Prop 121 is expected to pass.  This is wonderful news to those of us independent registered voters who are supporting independent candidates who have the experience and education to run for office.  For the first time in Arizona history, independent voters now make up the 2nd largest voting block in our state and in Maricopa County.

Please remember that an independent candidate for Maricopa County sheriff is running against the extremist Sheriff Joe Arpaio and I believe Mike Stauffer is Arpaio’s strongest opponent since we (independent voters) make up the 2nd largest voting bloc now.

Prop 14 in California is similar to Prop 121 and I have so many good success stories as a result of Prop 14 helping good candidates.

See below survey:

Independent Survey: Strong Support for Open Primary in Arizona

By Ted Downing on October 9, 2012 in Arizona, Open Primary, Survey with 1 Comment

Read Time: 3 – 5 minutes

 

With early balloting beginning on 11 October,  a new independent pollfinds the Arizona Top 2, Open Primary initiative likely to pass. No recent, independent polling data has been available for some time, apart from those supporting or opposing the initiative that would create a non-partisan Top-Two Open Primary.

The survey of 1,065 Arizona residents found 45% are inclined to vote for the Open Primary Initiative and 31% against it, with 9% undecided and 15% not planning to vote. Looking only at likely voters, this gives the measure a 16 point advantage with 10 % undecided.

On November 6th,  Arizona voters will be deciding whether to change their election system.  Under the current semi-closed primary system, partisan voters select Party candidates for the general election ballot.  Since 2000, independents are permitted to vote in a party primary if and only if the parties allow them, decided for each primary, and if and only if the independent votes for only one party slate.  Open Elections – Open Government advocates for Proposition 121 would institute a Constitutional amendment.  All voters would vote on a single slate of candidates and the top two vote-getters would advance to the general election.  FULL STORY>>>

Mike Stauffer talks about the importance of being community focused.

He is the only one running against Arpaio with the command experience and education to run the 3rd largest County Sheriff Department in the Nation.

He can hit the ground running and already has an organizational chart ready to move forward.

Mike Stauffer is also Arpaio’s strongest opponent because Stauffer is an Independent Conservative.

Below is a recent video from Independent candidate and prop 121 supporting Mike Stauffer who is running against Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Mike Stauffer for Maricopa County Sheriff discusses being accountable to you the tax payer. The MCSO has over 30 chief level positions earning $100,000 + each. Day one, Stauffer will reduce the command staff to 8 chiefs in total. Watch it now.

The Lou Show is a show hosted by a Jewish person who is being attacked by people who are pulling the “white privilege” card.

The Lou Show interviews life long Democrat via Gail Shoultes and Democratic organizer and LGBT supporter via Angel Garcia.

You get to hear the “grassroots” pulse what is going on in the Maricopa County from a Liberal and Democratic perspective.

I’m glad he is raising awareness with regard to “us” — the key independent voter bloc of Arizona.  God knows I’m an independent voter for life in light of the crud we have seen with partisanship that is ruining our Nation.

He writes:

Since this Senate seat was last open in 2006, the percentage of Arizonans who are registered independents has increased by 360,322 voters, or 54 percent. That compares with growth of 176,945 voters, or 9 percent, for all parties combined. There are now 1 million Arizona voters who identify with no party and 2 million who are party-affiliated.

How do you explain this trend toward rejection of organized political parties?

I don’t see this trend as a rejection of organized political parties. Although rejecting organized political parties may be a good idea, I see this trend more as a rejection of both the Republican and Democrat parties. This rejection of both the Republicans and the Democrats is with good reason and fully justified. To put it bluntly, both the Republicans and Democrats have completely failed Arizonans and all Americans.  FULL STORY >>>

Support Independent Candidate Mike Stauffer for Maricopa County Sheriff.

We are.

And here is why you should attend the Gary Johnson event tomorrow!

Gary Johnson would spank Mitt Romney out of the water on free market thinking which is precisely why the GOP has been fighting Gary Johnson since Day 1.

I especially love Johnson’s views on immigration!

Come as you are…..hurry up…. have fun with Libertarians on September 26th!  Details below….