The effect on the Hispanic community’s political future in California remains in debate following passage June 8 of that state’s Proposition 14, which changes its primary elections to a “top-two” system in 2012.  All candidates, regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof, will compete in a single free-for-all, with the top two contenders continuing on to the November election.

   Proposition 14 passed by a vote of 2,570,439 (53.6%) to 2,229,181 (46.4%).

   The reform was championed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado. More than $2 million was contributed by The California Dream Team, a group with close ties to the governor. Maldonado was appointed lieutenant governor by Schwarzenegger in November. His appointment was not approved by the Senate until April 26.

   Proposition 14 was presented to Republican voters in particular as a means of countering a challenge facing their party, namely that its primary candidates tend to direct their campaigns to appeal to the extreme right-wing, rendering themselves virtually unelectable in the November vote.

   “I have been saying since I have come into office, that we must reform the system in order to make our political leaders and politicians servants to the people and not servants to the parties,” Schwarzenegger said June 9. “We have a system here that gets…rewarded for getting stuck in our ideological corners and punished for compromise.”

   The system is based on that of Washington State, where it came into practice for the first time in 2008.

   So far, reaction by Hispanic leadership has been limited. National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials spokesperson Patricia Guadalupe told Weekly Report NALEO has not yet taken a position. The Mexican American Legal Defence and Educational Fund declined to comment.

   Matt Barreto, acting director of the University of Washington Institute for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, told Hispanic Link News Service, “On paper Proposition 14 has absolutely no impact on racial representation.” He added, however, “There exists the opportunity for Republicans to vote against the Hispanic candidate.”

   California Hispanics tend to vote Democratic, according to the Public Policy Institute of California: Among Latino likely voters, 63% are Democrats, 19% Republicans, and 16% independents.  Neither the Democratic nor Republican Party has endorsed the reform. Both could face increased competition from traditionally minor political groups.

   California Democratic Party chairman John Burton stated prior to the referendum vote, “Proposition 14 will increase the costs of political campaigns in California, already the most expensive in the nation, which will give more power to the very same special interests and big contributors who want [Californians] to vote for Proposition 14.”

   Sean Haugh, executive director of The Free and Equal Elections Foundation, expressed his opposition to the proposition, explaining, “The two candidates with the most name recognition and money to start with will be more successful, leaving others off the general election ballot. Just as significant is that there will be no voice for people to organize… [and be] heard by those who can be elected.”

   Schwarzenegger mentioned in his June 9 speech, “I think we expect lawsuits being filed because, as much as there are special interests like the parties and so on, they want to hold onto the status quo. As much as we are interested in creating change and making the system work, they want to hold on and make it so that it doesn't work.”

   (Brendan Cavanagh is a reporter with Hispanic Link News Service in Washington, D.C. Email him at [email protected])

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