Ballot Access News reports that a group of ten Spanish/English language newspapers called Eastern Group Publications has come out against Proposition 14 in California. The statement on Prop 14 is as follows:
Proposition 14: Elections. Increases Right to Participate in Primary Elections.
This initiative’s stated aim is to encourage increased participation in elections for congressional, legislative, and statewide offices by changing the procedure by which candidates are elected in primary elections. It does not change primary elections for President, party committee offices and nonpartisan offices.It is called an “open primary” because it allows voters to cross party lines to vote for any candidate on a new-cross-over ballot. It allows voters to choose any candidates regardless of the candidate’s or voter’s political party preference. In essence, it eliminates the need for political parties, Democrats, Republicans, Green, Libertarian, etc. to hold a primary to select a candidate to represent its ideology or platform in the General Election.
This proposition would allow candidates to not name a party affiliation or preference, and allow the top two vote getters to face-off in the General Election.
We do not believe that this is in the interest of the voter, or that candidates should be allowed to not name their party affiliation. Voters have a right to know if they are voting for the party and party platform of their choice.
—VOTE NO
Winger points out that the Eastern Group Publications reach some 104,000 households each week.