Welcome to Restore Voter Choice, the website of the plaintiffs in Rubin v. Padilla, a lawsuit to stop the use of “top two” elections in California. We will have background on the lawsuit shortly, followed by news updates as events happen in court and in the press.
We are:
Michael Rubin
Marsha Feinland
Charles L. Hooper
C. T. Weber
Cat Woods
Green Party of Alameda County
Libertarian Party of California
Peace and Freedom Party of California
Nov. 21, 2011 – For Immediate Release
Oakland, CA – Three of California’s six recognized political parties, along with eight registered voters and prospective candidates, will file suit on Tuesday, Nov. 22, to block state Secretary of State Debra Bowen from implementing the “top two” election system mandated by Proposition 14, a ballot measure approved by state voters in June 2010.
The suit contends that Proposition 14 violates fundamental constitutional rights of both parties and voters because it would effectively bar small-party candidates for most political offices from the general-election ballot. Under Proposition 14, the only candidates listed on general-election ballots would be the top two vote-getters in primary elections in which all voters, regardless of party preference, would chose from a single list of all candidates. In most districts, the likely result would be that the general-election ballot would include only a Democrat and a Republican, two Democrats, or two Republicans.
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