Eatonville Dispatch reporter Bruce Smith examines Washington State’s Top Two Primary System


Dispatch reporter Bruce Smith
Photo courtesy of Guustaaf Damave

Top Two Primary changes elections

“At first glance our state’s new top two primary system seems reasonable: the top two vote getters – regardless of party – advance to the general election in November.

However, emerging political activity surrounding the new rules suggests that the top two system might fundamentally alter our election process by limiting the pool of candidates from which voters may choose.

To wit: both Democrats and Republicans are developing mechanisms to deliver favored candidates to the primary in an effort to ensure that at least one candidate from their party makes it into the ‘top two,'” quoting Bruce Smith in the Eatonville Dispatch.