California ballot initiative proposed for 2028 to repeal the top-two primary system
On May 8, Steve Maviglio, a Democratic political consultant and strategist known for his work on California ballot measure campaigns, filed an initiative for the 2028 ballot proposing to repeal the state’s top-two primary system. California adopted the system when voters approved Proposition 14, 53.7% to 46.3% in June 2010.
The top-two system requires all candidates to be listed on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election. This makes it possible for two candidates of the same political party to win a top-two primary and face off in the general election.
Maviglio’s proposed constitutional amendment would authorize partisan primaries for congressional and state offices and allow any political party that holds a partisan primary to advance the top vote-getters from that primary to the general election.
In an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle, Maviglio wrote, “When casting ballots in this fall’s gubernatorial election, however, our state’s electorate could ... be forced to choose between two Republican candidates for governor.” He continues, “There are eight substantial declared Democratic candidates as of last week. None has emerged as a favorite. All have political bona fides. All have a small base from which to start. Collectively, they have the potential to divide the Democratic electorate pie into small slices.”
https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/05/14/california-ballot-initiative-proposed-for-2028-to-repeal-the-top-two-primary-system/
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