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Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Top-Two Primaries Ruined EVERYTHING!

posted by on August 19 at 20:10 PM

“People were calling me today asking where the big parties were at,” says James Bush, legislative aide to King County Councilmember Dow Constantine. “The big parties are ‘at’ November.”

Bush was enjoying a beer as the Kids for Gregoire Party at Spitfire slowly dissolved.

The top-two primary has ruined primary night parties, Bush asserts (and the SECB strongly suspected as it prepared to head out tonight), since very little is actually be decided on primary night anymore. Maybe a judicial race or two, but otherwise… pffft.

Back before the top-two primaries ruined everything, lots of local Dem races wrapped on primary night. The winner of the Dem primary in King County would face some sacrificial Republican in November—the indignity of it all—but the election was essentially over. Now, with the top-two primary, two Dems will move on to face each other in November. Theoretically it should make for a more exciting night in November… because, hey, we’ll find out who won in all these local Dem vs. Dem races in addition to state-wide and national races. But is anyone really going to care about the outcome of the White/Pollet race in the 46th when were waiting for results of the Obama/McCain and Burner/Reichert races? Anyone besides White and Pollet?

No.

RSS icon Comments

1

I agree that national elections will get the focus in November, but I will still be watching the Dem vs. Dem race in the 36th, Burbank vs. Carlyle. Reuven Carlyle is an exciting candidate and I don't want Mr. Latte Tax as my rep!

Posted by Lloyd Cooney | August 19, 2008 8:46 PM
2

I'm confused. I thought the only races that will be decided by the primary are judicial races where one candidate gets 50%+ of the vote. Is that not correct?

Posted by wait, what? | August 19, 2008 8:46 PM
3

"before the top-two primaries ruined everything, lots of local Dem races wrapped on primary night."
Thus, there used to be larger parties on primary night.

Posted by RTFA | August 19, 2008 8:55 PM
4

Speaking of the 36th, the turnout at my polling place near SPU was dismal.. DIZZZ-MAAAAALL. I counted the number of names who voted. 36 people! That's it! And I didn't arrive to vote until after 6pm!

I really hope the rest of you 36th'ers came out and voted in droves because North Queen Anne just keeled over and gave up voting today.

(And yes, I voted for Reuven as well.)

Posted by mackro mackro | August 19, 2008 9:06 PM
5

Not that I think he's a bad representative, but I wonder how Jamie Pedersen's run would've turned out if the top two primary had been in effect. Since so many people were running in that primary, Pedersen was effectively able to buy that nomination. (I received a mailing from him close to once a day.) And, as we know, since Dan wouldn't shut up about it, his Republican opponent was beyond a joke. I'd like to think that the top two primary will make it at least a little more difficult for well-heeled, well-connected candidates to steamroll real opposition.

Posted by keshmeshi | August 19, 2008 11:16 PM
6

Sadly, the article is true.

And I'll bet the Republicants are miffed that their lawsuit against our Open Primary caused them to get totally shut out of multiple districts statewide.

Posted by Will in Seattle | August 20, 2008 1:36 AM

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