Election 2012: Debut of the Top-Two Primary System

Michael Krasny

May 14, 2012 at

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(Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

In the first statewide election since California voters created the top-two primary system, the two candidates with the most votes on June 5 — regardless of their party affiliation — will move on to face off in the November election. How will the new system impact the state’s political landscape?

More: Election 2012: What’s Government For?
More: Making Sense of California’s New ‘Top-Two’ Primary – from KQED’s The Lowdown blog

Guests:

Jon Fleischman, GOP strategist and publisher of FlashReport.org, a website on California politics

Steve Peace, former California Democratic legislator and co-chairman of the California Independent Voter Project, which authored the Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act

Kevin Yamamura, senior writer for The Sacramento Bee

Laura Wells, 2010 Green Party candidate for Governor of California

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