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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Chad Peace, Strategic Adviser and Counsel from Independent Voter Project, on the fundamental right to vote in open primaries
1:38:06
·
3 min
Chad Peace, Strategic Adviser and Counsel for the Independent Voter Project and an author of California's top-two nonpartisan primary system, testifies on the importance of open primaries.
He emphasizes that the fundamental right to vote should extend to all voters, including the large number of independents (many of whom are minority voters), allowing them to participate in the crucial primary stage.
Peace notes his organization is now advocating for a top-five system in California and argues that open primaries ultimately make political parties more responsive to the entire electorate.
Chad Peace
1:38:06
Thank you, commissioners, for having me.
1:38:08
First, I'd like to thank you for having this conversation.
1:38:10
I think it's one of the most, important that we could be having despite, maybe some other opinions.
1:38:17
I'm Chad Peace.
1:38:18
I've been the strategic adviser and counsel for the Independent Voter Project for fifteen years.
1:38:24
So, again, I'd like to thank you for having a San Diegan come and testify.
1:38:28
As the authors of California's top two, which has been pointed out by a number of folks, there are unintended, consequences to a top two nonpartisan system.
1:38:39
One thing that I'd like to, you know, really focus on is that is the fundamental right that's at stake.
1:38:45
Right now, our organization is actually advocating in California to move from a top two to a top five system to advance five candidates out.
1:38:55
That's not because top two's not working.
1:38:57
I know the council member that spoke before suggested that, the top two system in California has been a travesty, but then, pointed to cities like Oakland and and San Francisco as examples of good governance, I suppose.
1:39:11
I think as a Californian, I would find that kind of interesting perspective.
1:39:17
But what's most important to us is the fundamental right that is at stake is that when you don't allow certain voters because they choose not to affiliate with a party to participate in the primary, which is a fundamentally important stage of the election, we're telling them that their vote is less meaningful.
1:39:33
And to, you know, to address the perspectives that have been presented by the NAACP, independent voters, for example, are largely minority voters.
1:39:43
Black voters, Hispanic voters, Latino voters are are in more numbers independents than they are in Democrats or Republicans in some states.
1:39:55
And so the but the point being that if we're gonna have a fair election process to everybody, our our first principle is that everybody ought to have the right to participate.
1:40:04
And that when you're talking about an open primary, just as top two was opposed by both major parties and some of the institutional forces may oppose opening primaries, open primaries are actually good for representatives in our view.
1:40:18
And I think as as the top two has been in play over time in California, you see that representatives actually feel like they can govern better.
1:40:26
Some people may view nonpartisan reform as, or or advocating for independent voter rights as antiparty.
1:40:34
I think it's actually the opposite is that in the long run, the parties become more responsive to the electorate.
1:40:40
They invite more voters in when they open their primaries.
1:40:45
In fact, prior to our nonpartisan primary, California had a semi open primary in which the Democratic Party allowed voters to participate and the Republicans disallowed.
1:40:56
I don't think it's coincidental that the Democratic Party has succeeded in much great much greater in California because they've invited nonmembers to participate in the process since the beginning.
1:41:08
I think of the state as the whole, should not look at opening the primary system as one, frankly, revolutionary or or two, have have a negative effect on the process as a whole.
1:41:22
But in fact, opening up and telling voters that we
Richard Buery
1:41:24
want them.
Chad Peace
1:41:25
Okay.
1:41:25
I I apologize.
Shams DaBaron
1:41:26
Thank you.