Top-Two Primary - Prefers Confusion

The Sec. o' State's office has issued a gushing press release about proposed ballot language for the new Top Two Primary. It's clear that Sec o' State Sam Reed and State Attorney General Rob McKenna are delighted with themselves and didn't mind saying so on the tax-payers dime.

But the slim slice of meat hidden between the Reed-McKeena self-congratulatory white bread buns is that candidates will have a party preference listed below their names and that it will be meaningless. As a matter of fact, the "party preference" will be so meaningless that every ballot will have to come with a warning label:

Each candidate for partisan office may state a political party that he or she prefers. A candidate’s preference does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party, or that the party approves of or associates with that candidate.

Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen (WA-02) wasn't impressed and wasn't shy about saying so:

'Top two' primary: new ballots, new headaches?

Proposed rules call for listing a candidate's party preference, not affiliation, and at least one lawmaker thinks only confusion will result.

By Jerry Cornfield - Herald Writer

... U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., didn't mute his disappointment with the proposed wording, saying it will likely incite more confusion among voters, not less."

I don't prefer being a Democrat. I am a Democrat," he said. "Voters will look at that ballot and say, 'What does it mean to prefer the Democratic Party?'" ...

(full article)