Bay Area Readers Speak Out Against Chronicle's Endorsement of Misleading 'Open Primaries'

Open primary -- good or bad for voters?

Editor -- Regarding your editorial on Propositions 60 and 62, I think the problem we have in primary elections is already one of mediocre, middle-of-the- road candidates who are indistinguishable both in platform and practice.

If you want an open election, give voters two votes -- one for each major party -- and perhaps a third for independents.

Otherwise, to allow voters, who are not members of a party, a voice in that party's choice to represent them is absurd. Wouldn't it then be logical to organize voters to vote for the weakest opposition candidate in the primary to oppose our preferred party in the general election? If primaries are open, party affiliation is meaningless.

JOHN KALLIO
Pleasanton.


Editor -- Unfortunately, legislative districts in California have been set up to be noncompetitive -- They're mostly Republican or Democratic. So, the two highest vote-getters in the primary will almost always be from the same party. Proposition 62 virtually guarantees that voters will have to replay the primary election in the general election, as the two strongest candidates from the dominant party will get to go at it twice. This means more money spent, more negative advertising -- but not more choices for voters.

GARY A. PATTON
Santa Cruz


Editor -- The Chronicle's support for Proposition 62 is the most misleading editorial position I've seen in a long time. Prop. 62 is not about partisanship, redistricting or reform. It was created by the California Chamber of Commerce for one reason only: to ensure that only the candidates with the most money get on the November ballot!

They know that campaigns with the most money almost always win, and they know that their corporate backers have the most money to give. They know that Prop. 62 virtually guarantees that only their fat cat-backed candidates will be elected and that no grassroots challengers may ever again appear on the ballot.

In addition, voters are deprived of their right to select a candidate from their own party under Prop. 62. For that reason, every single political party in California opposes it. Everyone should vote no on this undemocratic and phony corporate power grab posing as electoral reform.

ROBERT MARSH
Berkeley