State's first top-two primary being held today: a look at the history of primaries in Washington

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August 19, 1:39 PM

by Benjamin Lukoff, Seattle History Examiner

 

 

Before 1907
No primary; party nominees chosen at conventions or by petitions.

1907*
Partisan (i.e., "pick-a-party") primaries established by the legislature.

1935*
The blanket primary established by an initiative sponsored by the Washington State Grange.

2000
California's blanket primary ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Washington Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians sue to overturn Washington's blanket primary.

2004*
The Grange files an initiative establishing the top-two primary.
Washington's blanket primary ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court refusing to hear an appeal.
State re-establishes the partisan primary for September 2004.
Grange initiative passes at the November general election.

2005
Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians sue to overturn the Grange initiative.
Grange initiative declared unconstitutional in federal court; partisan primary remains in effect.

2006
Appeals court affirms unconstitutionality of Grange initiative.

2008*
Supreme Court overturns appeals court decision; constitutionality of Grange initiative upheld.
And here we are, with our first top-two primary.

Personally, I'd rather go back to the system we had 101 years ago, where party nominees were chosen by the parties and independents made it onto the ballot by petition. I'd like to see the bar lowered a bit, so that independents stood half a chance of making it onto the ballot. Why should the state be involved in the parties' process of choosing their nominees, and why should taxpayers have to pay for it?

At any rate, what do you think of this, Washington's fourth system so far? Is it an improvement? Would you like to see still another system implemented? Note that Pierce County is about to make history, as well, by implementing limited instant-runoff voting. Secretary Reed or his successor will have to update that PDF a fair number of times in the next decade, I'm sure.

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