June 2, 2012

A Duo of Reforms

By Don Kirk in Political Theory, Politics

Just about every American voter knows that two of the most prominent abuses in our politics is how we select candidates for the general election and how we determine political boundaries after every Census. Here are two potential reforms, first on primaries and second, on redistricting:

The Nevada Open Primary Act

First: This measure shall be known and cited as the Nevada Open Primary Act.

Second: The People of the State of Nevada hereby find and declare all of the following:

(a)    Purpose: The Nevada Open Primary Act is hereby adopted by the People of Nevada to protect and preserve the right of every Nevada voter to vote for the candidate of their choice in partisan offices, and to increase the number of candidates for Nevada voters’ consideration by implementing an Open Primary system in Nevada as set forth below:

(b)   Nevada Open Primary. All Nevada registered qualified voters shall be guaranteed the unrestricted right to vote for the candidate of their choice in all State, local, and congressional elections. All candidates of all political parties, and also those candidates who register as ‘No Preference (NOP),’ who qualify for ballot access shall be listed on a single primary ballot, and every Nevada voter shall be offered this single, comprehensive primary ballot for voting. The top vote-earning candidate of each political party and NOP having primary ballot access shall advance to a general election in which the winner shall be the candidate receiving a majority, or proceed to a general election run-off between the top two candidates until one candidate has a majority. In any Nevada district where registration in any party exceeds 60%, the top two primary candidates from that party advance to the district general election to compete with other primary winners.

(c)    Open Ballot Access. All political parties in Nevada shall have open ballot access in primaries by petition of five Nevada voters registered in that party. All candidates for public office in Nevada shall have open access to the Open Primary ballot in each primary election by:

1. Paying a filing fee limited to $100;
2. Be a valid, registered Nevada voter in the political party or as ‘No Preference’
3. Submit a petition signed by valid, registered Nevada voters

i.      50 valid signatures for any non-statewide offices

ii.      200 valid signatures for any statewide offices.

(d)   Open Voter Registration. At the time they register to vote, all Nevada voters shall have the freedom to choose whether or not to disclose their political party preference. The State of Nevada shall list the voter’s choice on their voter identification card, designating ‘Other’ for any political party without ballot access.

(e)    Open Candidate Disclosure. All candidates for public office in the Nevada Open Primary shall have the freedom to choose whether or not to disclose their party affiliation. Candidates not choosing a political affiliation for the Open Primary ballot shall be designated as ‘No Party Preference’ (NOP). Any candidate who wins in the Nevada Open Primary must continue with their choice of affiliation or NOP for the general election.

(f)    Freedom of Political Parties. The State of Nevada shall regulate elections and ballot access, and is prohibited from regulating the membership or internal workings of voluntary associations of law-abiding Nevada citizens loyal to the U.S. Constitution. The State of Nevada shall be strictly neutral regarding political parties in the Open Primary.

(g)   Presidential Primaries. No part of this Nevada Open Primary Act shall apply to Nevada’s presidential primary system, except by vote of the State Legislature.

* * *

The Nevada Redistricting Act

First: This measure shall be known and cited as the Nevada Redistricting Act.

Second: The People of the State of Nevada hereby find and declare all of the following:

1. Purpose: The Nevada Redistricting Act is hereby adopted by the People of Nevada to protect and preserve the right of every Nevada voter to vote for the candidate of their choice in political districts whose boundaries are  established as impartially as possible after every national Census, as set forth below:
2. Nevada Redistricting Act. All Nevada registered qualified voters shall be guaranteed the unrestricted right to vote for the candidate of their choice in all State, local, and congressional elections. The boundaries of Nevada political districts which contest in general elections shall be drawn by computer shortly after every national Census, by the following standards in declining order of importance:
   1. Population within 2% variation between districts
   2. Contiguous close-proximity districts drawn roughly as squares, rectangles, pentagons or hexagons so that no more than one district has non-contiguous boundaries
   3. Reduce “safe seats” by maximum 55% registration permitted in any one political party per district, so that no more than one district at each level has 60% registration or more for any political party
   4. Meet restrictions of the federal Voting Rights Act
3. Redistricting Commission: Control over the redistricting process in Nevada is delegated to a State Commission appointed by the Governor, whose membership is entirely nonpartisan and drawn from each county in Nevada.
4. Integrity of the Commission. All members of the State Commission on Redistricting are to be registered ‘nonpartisan’ or ‘No Preference’ voters in Nevada. Any approach or attempt to influence the work or results of the appointed members of the Commission by any political partisan shall be reported to the media and referred to the Attorney General for investigation. The results of such an investigation shall be made public. Any direct or indirect attempt by any Nevada office-holder or their surrogate to influence the work or results of any Commission member or of the entire Redistricting Commission shall subject the office-holder to recall by the voters in their district.