Blanket primary
Encyclopedia
The blanket primary is a system used for selecting political party
candidates in a primary election
in the USA. In a blanket primary, voters may pick one candidate for each office without regard to party lines; for instance, a voter might select a Democratic
candidate for governor and a Republican
candidate for senator. The candidates with the highest votes by party for each office advance to the general election, as the respective party's nominee. It differs from the open primary
– in open primaries voters may pick candidates regardless of their own party registration, but may only choose among candidates from a single party of the voter's choice. A blanket primary gives registered voters maximum choice in selecting candidates.
Compared to other primary systems, the blanket primary is less restrictive for voters because it does not limit them to selecting from only one party's candidates. Mainstream political parties, however, saw this as a disadvantage because it discouraged party loyalty, especially among moderate voters who did not identify strongly with either party. The system also has potential for tactical voting
: Voters opposed to one party might disingenuously choose a weaker candidate from that party, setting the candidate up to lose in the general election
.
In 2000 the Supreme Court of the United States
struck down California
's blanket primary in California Democratic Party v. Jones
. Similar systems used by Washington and Alaska
were also struck down in subsequent Supreme Court cases.
The blanket primary survives in a different form, known as the nonpartisan blanket primary or jungle primary, in Louisiana
; currently, this system is only used for partisan elections to state and local office, while federal party nominees are chosen using closed primary elections followed by a plurality-winner election
involving the party nominees and any independent candidates qualified to run.
In response to the aforementioned Supreme Court decision, Washington state voters passed Initiative 872 in 2004 to adopt the Louisiana-style nonpartisan blanket primary; while lower courts, following the ruling in California Democratic Party v. Jones, struck down the initiative, the Supreme Court ruled on March 18, 2008 in Washington State Grange v. Washington State Republican Party et al. that Initiative 872 was at least facially constitutional and could go into effect.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
candidates in a primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
in the USA. In a blanket primary, voters may pick one candidate for each office without regard to party lines; for instance, a voter might select a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for governor and a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate for senator. The candidates with the highest votes by party for each office advance to the general election, as the respective party's nominee. It differs from the open primary
Open primary
An open primary is a primary election that does not require voters to be affiliated with a political party in order to vote for partisan candidates. In a traditional open primary, voters may select one party's ballot and vote for that party's nomination. As in a closed primary, the highest voted...
– in open primaries voters may pick candidates regardless of their own party registration, but may only choose among candidates from a single party of the voter's choice. A blanket primary gives registered voters maximum choice in selecting candidates.
Compared to other primary systems, the blanket primary is less restrictive for voters because it does not limit them to selecting from only one party's candidates. Mainstream political parties, however, saw this as a disadvantage because it discouraged party loyalty, especially among moderate voters who did not identify strongly with either party. The system also has potential for tactical voting
Tactical voting
In voting systems, tactical voting occurs, in elections with more than two viable candidates, when a voter supports a candidate other than his or her sincere preference in order to prevent an undesirable outcome.It has been shown by the Gibbard-Satterthwaite theorem that any voting method which is...
: Voters opposed to one party might disingenuously choose a weaker candidate from that party, setting the candidate up to lose in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
.
In 2000 the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
struck down California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's blanket primary in California Democratic Party v. Jones
California Democratic Party v. Jones
California Democratic Party v. Jones, 530 U.S. 567 , was a case in which the United States Supreme Court held that California's blanket primary violates a political party's First Amendment freedom of association.-Prior history:...
. Similar systems used by Washington and Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
were also struck down in subsequent Supreme Court cases.
The blanket primary survives in a different form, known as the nonpartisan blanket primary or jungle primary, in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
; currently, this system is only used for partisan elections to state and local office, while federal party nominees are chosen using closed primary elections followed by a plurality-winner election
Plurality voting system
The plurality voting system is a single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member constituencies...
involving the party nominees and any independent candidates qualified to run.
In response to the aforementioned Supreme Court decision, Washington state voters passed Initiative 872 in 2004 to adopt the Louisiana-style nonpartisan blanket primary; while lower courts, following the ruling in California Democratic Party v. Jones, struck down the initiative, the Supreme Court ruled on March 18, 2008 in Washington State Grange v. Washington State Republican Party et al. that Initiative 872 was at least facially constitutional and could go into effect.
External links
- "History of the Blanket Primary in Washington", Washington Secretary of State, retrieved January 12, 2006.