Will Utah follow California with top-2 primary system?

California voters, by a big margin, recently passed Proposition 14 — The Top Two Primaries Act. This constitutional amendment was referred to voters by the California State Assembly. It requires all candidates to run in a single primary election open to all registered voters. Starting in 2012, voters will receive one primary ballot with all party candidates and independents. The two candidates in each office with the highest vote totals will advance to the general election. Politicos are now debating the merits of the system, and whether Utah should follow California.

Is the wide-open, top-two primary system the start of a trend in American politics, or is it just another failed California experiment?

Webb: California government is so dysfunctional, so gridlocked, that angry voters were willing to try anything to change, however misguided. This won't help California and won't spread broadly.

Pignanelli: "Whatever starts in California unfortunately has an inclination to spread." — Jimmy Carter

Sure, California is famous for loony and weird ideas, but its residents are weary of the dysfunctional government burdened by partisan sniping. Right-wingers and left-wingers dominate the party nomination process, and candidates must cater to their extreme views — stalling any action at the state Capitol. The new primary system will force candidates to moderate and build coalitions among a spectrum of voters — not just the extreme — in order to ensure that position for the general election. The extremist disease is not isolated to California and has infected the United States. An example of the symptom is demonstrated by millions of "truthers" (lefties who believed President George W. Bush was behind the 9/11 attacks) and "birthers" (righties who doubt President Barack Obama's U.S. citizenship). Because the two primary system can only improve Sacramento, the rest of the country will soon give serious consideration.

Should Utah adopt the top-two primary system to select candidates for the general election?

Pignanelli: Absolutely. The top-two primary system is a definite upgrade over the current system and a much-welcome substitute to the musty old delegate process unrepresentative of Utah voters. Further, as the current Democratic and Republican primary contest for the U.S. Senate demonstrate, candidates are forced to appeal to the fringe in order to garner the nomination. Utah should be proud that the state is consistently ranked as one of the best-managed. But this honored distinction will soon be under threat if elected and appointed leaders are constrained — by narrow interest within the parties — from developing creative solutions.