62 Primary Elections
Initiative / Constitutional Amendment

California has a two-step election for many elected offices. The Primary Election in the spring lets political parties choose which candidates they want to run for each office in the November General Election. In the Primary Election, voters can only choose candidates from their own party. In the General Election, voters can choose a candidate from any party.

There is another proposition in this election, Prop 60, that would keep primary elections the way they are now.
 

Change the State Constitution so that all voters in the Primary Election get a ballot with candidates from all parties (except candidates for President and party central committee).

Just the two candidates who get the most votes in the Primary Election would be on the November ballot (instead of the winner from each party). It is possible that both candidates in November could be from the same party.
 

No major change to state or local budgets.
 

Arguments for Prop 62:		Arguments against Prop 62:
Prop 62 gives every voter a chance to choose the best candidate for office in the primary election. Even voters not registered with a party will get to vote in primary elections. website		Only having the top two candidates for each office on the November ballot gives voters far fewer choices. This favors candidates from big parties with big budgets. website