Voters, read the wording of this initiative carefully. If you aren't aware of the background on it, the description alone is a bit confusing.
I'm sure many voters will share my initial impression that it is simply to repeal the recent change in our primary system, and return it to the one we had before, where you can choose whomever you wanted.
It kind of does that, true, but it actually implements a THIRD, new type of primary system where, apparently, whatever two candidates get the most votes go on to compete in the general election. Again, sounds the same as before, but the devil is in the details.
As a result of this system, you could have two Republicans running against each other in the general election, without even having the option to vote for a Democrat or third party member, if both those Republican candidates got more votes in the primary than the leading Democrat or third party candidates. And vice versa.
The result is that people who support the initiative are using arguments about being able to vote for who you want to, including third party candidates, because they are thinking of the fact that this initiative "would allow voters to choose among all candidates in a primary election."
They are either willing to accept, or perhaps unaware of, the fact that this in turn may reduce their options in the general election itself.
Then, just to add to the confusion, people who oppose it make many of the same arguments about having the freedom to vote for whom you want, including third party candidates, because they are thinking about how this initiative impacts the general election, not the primary election.
Ow. My head hurts. Good luck, folks.
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