California: 'Top 2' ballot turns allies into enemies

◼ California's "top two" election system changed the runoff rules to give the top vote-getters in a primary race a spot on the November ballot, regardless of their party affiliation.

The system, approved by voters in 2010, was supposed to create more-moderate candidates and give independent voters a stronger voice, especially when coupled with newly created legislative and congressional districts - drawn, for the first time, by an independent citizens commission.

Instead, the changes have resulted in a number of down-and-dirty races that pit Democrat against Democrat or Republican against Republican and, according to some experts, could allow political parties to consolidate their power in Sacramento. Statewide, there are 28 legislative and congressional races with same-party candidates running against one another.

"The idea was that Republicans would have to appeal to Democrats and Democrats would have to appeal to Republicans, and it would weaken the power of the party," said Paul Mitchell, vice president of the Sacramento-based firm Redistricting Partners, which provides campaigns on both sides of the aisle with voter information.

"But what ended up happening is that, in the primaries, Republicans had to go far to the right to win bases and Democrats had to go far to the left," he said. "The parties are still strong ... and there are no reform-minded, moderate candidates out there...."