A proposition that would allow independent voters to participate in primary elections will be on the ballot this November.
Proposition 121 would abolish the existing system of taxpayer-funded primary elections, replacing it with an open “top two” primary election in which all candidates running for office would appear on the same ballot.
The two candidates with the most votes would go on to face each other in the general election.
Political science professor Richard Herrera said the proposed system would allow third party candidates to siphon votes from the Republican or Democratic candidates, potentially hurting the major parties’ chances of winning elections.
Herrera said other states using this method have received mixed results.
“You end up with one party dominating depending on the area that you’re looking at,” Herrera said.
He said states like California are more diverse and therefore allow for a greater possibility that one party will not dominate a district.
“In Los Angeles, where you have conservative pockets, you also have liberal pockets, and you see ethnic diversity contributing to that,” Herrera said. “In Arizona, you have less of that.”
Republicans control both the state House of Representatives and Senate, so the legislature is already lopsided, Herrera said.
Business junior Brenda Araiza said the current system is more organized and if changed, it might be left open for corruption.
“It would too much and too confusing,” Araiza said. “There will be people who won’t even take it seriously.”
She said open primaries would divide votes more among the candidates because more candidates will be listed on the primary ballot.
Biology senior Rini Parekh said voters should not have to affiliate with a political party to participate in primary elections, as the current electoral system requires.
“There are third party people,” Parekh said. “Maybe it will offer more diversity for the voter.”
Herrera said proponents of the proposition believe opening primaries to non-party affiliated voters allows for more voter turnout and participation in the voting process.
“Primary attendance is notoriously low,” Herrera said. “This proposition may increase participation at the primary level.”
Reach the reporter at aborund1@asu.edu
