When California voters show up to the polls this November, they will have a limited number of choices at the ballot box for Governor, other statewide races, and races for US House. Known as the “Top 2” Primary, the top two candidates in the primary advance to a run-off in November’s general election. Traditional open/closed primary elections guarantee a nominee from each political party who holds a party primary. Therefore, if three parties hold primary elections, then each party will have a nominee on the ballot in the general election. In a “Top 2” system, no party is guaranteed a nominee in the second round of voting. You could end up with the top two primary winners from the same political party. The Green, Libertarian, and Peace and Freedom Parties will not have a candidate in November’s statewide and national races in California.
What are your opinions on a “Top 2” Primary? Do you favor such an election? Do you favor the traditional open/closed primaries that most states have where each party will have some form of representation on Election Day?
Politics Matters 
I feel that having the top 2 it kind of forces people to pick. It’s kind of like pick good or bad when there is no other chooses. When u can not put thinks in a group all the time. It’s like the movie Donny darko it’s a school activity and he has to put good or bad. They ask them all situations and they had to put them in a good or bad group. Donny freaks out and says things are not that simple. It is true I also hate when jobs do that true or false and give u situations and u have to put true or false. It is just annoying
I disagree with just having top 2 because that is not enough choices. I believe every party should have some kind of representation because not everyone in California belongs to the same party. I myself would not even consider voting especially if the two candidates are from the same party and I don’t belong to it. Open/closed primaries just give you an option and variet, you wont be forced to vote for one party.
I feel that the top two also forces people to choose. I firmly believe in the write in option. If I don’t like the candidates I will write in. In the last election people I knew wrote in Ron Paul. I feel like people should have lots of options otherwise it will force people to vote for someone they don’t like. I feel like that’s how Obama was elected, because people were like well Mitt Romney stinks so I will just vote the other guy. A lot of people don’t have the write in option and it isn’t right. The open close primary I hate because then the 3rd party gets downplayed and I believe they should have a chance. It is only fair.
I think there should be more then just the top 2 because as Americans we should have the freedom to vote for who we want. In a way there taking a right that we have by not putting all the candidates on the poll. Some people might not even vote because they know that there party isn’t on the poll.
I favor a top two election primary because you take the two strongest candidates, because only one person can win, I think it’s smart to narrow it down into the strongest candidates and force people to really think about their decision. I also like that it doesn’t look into whether there republican or democratic to decide, because most people vote towards their political affiliation rather than the person. This way a popular libertarian can be voted on.
I feel like there should be more than two options to choose from because not everyone will like the two and Americans are entitled to vote from a list of candidates. There should be atleast 10 candidates to vote ranging from different beliefs and ideas and it’d be fair for voters to vote for whoever they feel like would make a difference.
I believe that having a “top two” primary election is unfair. Even though democrats and republicans make up the majority of voters and candidates, there are still a number of citizens who believe in other parties such as the libertarian and green. Third party candidates and citizens will not have the opportunity to express their views and opinions with this type of system.