I just got my mail in ballot yesterday.
I'm in Orange County Florida.
All of the countywide offices on my ballot only show a Democratic party candidate, and then a line to write in an opponent.
The Democratic Party candidate got his or her name on there, by winning an election that only Democrats got to vote in. I didn't have the right to vote in this election under these rules.
This is why I'm voting yes on amendment 3, so all voters can vote for these types of elections, and all voters will have a meaningful choice. Write-in candidates are not meaningful choices.
(10-05-2020, 08:16 AM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ]I just got my mail in ballot yesterday.
I'm in Orange County Florida.
All of the countywide offices on my ballot only show a Democratic party candidate, and then a line to write in an opponent.
The Democratic Party candidate got his or her name on there, by winning an election that only Democrats got to vote in. I didn't have the right to vote in this election under these rules.
This is why I'm voting yes on amendment 3, so all voters can vote for these types of elections, and all voters will have a meaningful choice. Write-in candidates are not meaningful choices.
Why doesn't your party have a candidate? Maybe you should fix that instead of demanding open primaries.
(10-05-2020, 11:43 AM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ] (10-05-2020, 08:16 AM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ]I just got my mail in ballot yesterday.
I'm in Orange County Florida.
All of the countywide offices on my ballot only show a Democratic party candidate, and then a line to write in an opponent.
The Democratic Party candidate got his or her name on there, by winning an election that only Democrats got to vote in. I didn't have the right to vote in this election under these rules.
This is why I'm voting yes on amendment 3, so all voters can vote for these types of elections, and all voters will have a meaningful choice. Write-in candidates are not meaningful choices.
Why doesn't your party have a candidate? Maybe you should fix that instead of demanding open primaries.
I sure wish we had a +1 button!
(10-05-2020, 11:43 AM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ] (10-05-2020, 08:16 AM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ]I just got my mail in ballot yesterday.
I'm in Orange County Florida.
All of the countywide offices on my ballot only show a Democratic party candidate, and then a line to write in an opponent.
The Democratic Party candidate got his or her name on there, by winning an election that only Democrats got to vote in. I didn't have the right to vote in this election under these rules.
This is why I'm voting yes on amendment 3, so all voters can vote for these types of elections, and all voters will have a meaningful choice. Write-in candidates are not meaningful choices.
Why doesn't your party have a candidate? Maybe you should fix that instead of demanding open primaries.
Good question. Republican candidates went on a losing streak for countywide offices, and they've given up for the last 8 years or so.
The county prefers Democrats. How can I change that?
(10-05-2020, 11:55 AM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ] (10-05-2020, 11:43 AM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ]Why doesn't your party have a candidate? Maybe you should fix that instead of demanding open primaries.
Good question. Republican candidates went on a losing streak for countywide offices, and they've given up for the last 8 years or so.
The county prefers Democrats. How can I change that?
Move to a different county.
(10-05-2020, 01:32 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ] (10-05-2020, 01:27 PM)jagibelieve Wrote: [ -> ]Move to a different county.
But all my stuff's here.
But I'm not sure how, as a resident of Duval Country, Amendment 3 address a problem that's pertinent to me, while it could very easily be the Camel's Nose that leads to political parties losing the right to elect their own candidates.
(10-05-2020, 02:38 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ] (10-05-2020, 01:32 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ]But all my stuff's here.
But I'm not sure how, as a resident of Duval Country, Amendment 3 address a problem that's pertinent to me, while it could very easily be the Camel's Nose that leads to political parties losing the right to elect their own candidates.
The Jacksonville mayor's race and sheriff's race has followed these same rules for decades. The "top two" rules work, and they don't seem to have harmed Jacksonville's Republican party.
(10-05-2020, 02:43 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ] (10-05-2020, 02:38 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ]But I'm not sure how, as a resident of Duval Country, Amendment 3 address a problem that's pertinent to me, while it could very easily be the Camel's Nose that leads to political parties losing the right to elect their own candidates.
The Jacksonville mayor's race and sheriff's race has followed these same rules for decades. They seem to work, and they don't seem to have harmed Jacksonville's Republican party.
But that's the right of that county to enact their own rules for elections. You also have that right in Orange County, you just can't win enough support to make use of it. It's not a State issue that it should be in the Constitution.
We should see about making it a federal law.
(10-05-2020, 02:45 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ] (10-05-2020, 02:43 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ]The Jacksonville mayor's race and sheriff's race has followed these same rules for decades. They seem to work, and they don't seem to have harmed Jacksonville's Republican party.
But that's the right of that county to enact their own rules for elections. You also have that right in Orange County, you just can't win enough support to make use of it. It's not a State issue that it should be in the Constitution.
That's not exactly true.
Yes, Orange County was successful in making its County commission offices nonpartisan.
But that's it. We've tried multiple charter amendments, to make sheriff, tax collector, and property appraiser nonpartisan. The members of the democratic party keep suing, and those races remain partisan.
However, with regard to State attorneys races, Duval County and Orange County are in the same boat: we each share our state attorney with other counties, so only state level election law applies to that race.
Ditto with state house and state senate districts, county law does not apply to those.
We have to change State law. That's what amendment 3 does.
(10-05-2020, 02:48 PM)Lucky2Last Wrote: [ -> ]We should see about making it a federal law.
You want top two, open primaries to be federal law? So all elections for us house and US Senate could be decided that way? I agree with that.
(10-05-2020, 03:05 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ] (10-05-2020, 02:45 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ]But that's the right of that county to enact their own rules for elections. You also have that right in Orange County, you just can't win enough support to make use of it. It's not a State issue that it should be in the Constitution.
That's not exactly true.
Yes, Orange County was successful in making its County commission offices nonpartisan.
But that's it. We've tried multiple charter amendments, to make sheriff, tax collector, and property appraiser nonpartisan. The members of the democratic party keep suing, and those races remain partisan.
However, with regard to State attorneys races, Duval County and Orange County are in the same boat: we each share our state attorney with other counties, so only state level election law applies to that race.
Ditto with state house and state senate districts, county law does not apply to those.
We have to change State law. That's what amendment 3 does.
(10-05-2020, 02:48 PM)Lucky2Last Wrote: [ -> ]We should see about making it a federal law.
You want top two, open primaries to be federal law? So all elections for us house and US Senate could be decided that way? I agree with that.
Lol, so since you cannot win you want to change the rules.
(10-05-2020, 03:26 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ] (10-05-2020, 03:05 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ]That's not exactly true.
Yes, Orange County was successful in making its County commission offices nonpartisan.
But that's it. We've tried multiple charter amendments, to make sheriff, tax collector, and property appraiser nonpartisan. The members of the democratic party keep suing, and those races remain partisan.
However, with regard to State attorneys races, Duval County and Orange County are in the same boat: we each share our state attorney with other counties, so only state level election law applies to that race.
Ditto with state house and state senate districts, county law does not apply to those.
We have to change State law. That's what amendment 3 does.
You want top two, open primaries to be federal law? So all elections for us house and US Senate could be decided that way? I agree with that.
Lol, so since you cannot win you want to change the rules.
It's not about me. I've never been a candidate, and probably never will be one, even if this passes.
I just don't think the process produces the best possible results. We should be choosing the best person for the office, not the best republican or the best democrat.
I've always been for non-partisan primaries. The problem now, with the primary system we have, is that the Republican candidates have to run as far to the right as they can to win, and the Democrats have to run as far to the left as they can to win. That polarizes our politics. So in the general election you wind up with someone from the far left running against someone from the far right.
If you have everyone in one primary, and the top two vote getters run off, then candidates will have to have more of a broad based appeal.
Bump to say yes to Amendment 3...
I just finished my mail in ballot. I said no to the other Amendments
What did you guys think of the other 4 state of Florida amendments?
(10-10-2020, 09:28 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ]Bump to say yes to Amendment 3...
I just finished my mail in ballot. I said no to the other Amendments
What did you guys think of the other 4 state of Florida amendments?
I believe there is supposed to be six amendments?
Amendment 1 citizen requirement to vote
I don’t understand why anyone would oppose this? 100% yes only citizens should vote that is so basic you can’t give me a valid argument why anyone would oppose this other than for partisan positioning.
Amendment 2 minimum wage increase
Hard No but I understand the argument, I just disagree with it.
Amendment 3 open primaries
Also a No for me, the parties have the right to dictate how they run their primaries if they want open primaries go for it if they only want their party members to vote then fine. I can’t vote in primaries as a registered libertarian but why should I be allowed to participate if the parties don’t want my input in their nomination, that’s on them.
Amendment 4 Requirement for dual approval to make amendments that’s overkill to me it’s a no. If an election results in a yes vote so be it the people have spoken. Making it twice as hard to make changes only serves the establishment.
Amendment 5 Extending homestead exemptions yes I always vote for less taxes it’s a principle for me
Amendment 6 extend benefits to Spouse of deceased military or first responders. I can’t believe that’s not already a thing? Yes absolutely cover the families of those paying the ultimate sacrifice even if they don’t die in the line of duty if they’ve earned those benefits they’re family deserves it as much as the individual.
(10-10-2020, 10:09 PM)EricC85 Wrote: [ -> ] (10-10-2020, 09:28 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ]Bump to say yes to Amendment 3...
I just finished my mail in ballot. I said no to the other Amendments
What did you guys think of the other 4 state of Florida amendments?
I believe there is supposed to be six amendments?
Amendment 1 citizen requirement to vote
I don’t understand why anyone would oppose this? 100% yes only citizens should vote that is so basic you can’t give me a valid argument why anyone would oppose this other than for partisan positioning.
Amendment 2 minimum wage increase
Hard No but I understand the argument, I just disagree with it.
Amendment 3 open primaries
Also a No for me, the parties have the right to dictate how they run their primaries if they want open primaries go for it if they only want their party members to vote then fine. I can’t vote in primaries as a registered libertarian but why should I be allowed to participate if the parties don’t want my input in their nomination, that’s on them.
Amendment 4 Requirement for dual approval to make amendments that’s overkill to me it’s a no. If an election results in a yes vote so be it the people have spoken. Making it twice as hard to make changes only serves the establishment.
Amendment 5 Extending homestead exemptions yes I always vote for less taxes it’s a principle for me
Amendment 6 extend benefits to Spouse of deceased military or first responders. I can’t believe that’s not already a thing? Yes absolutely cover the families of those paying the ultimate sacrifice even if they don’t die in the line of duty if they’ve earned those benefits they’re family deserves it as much as the individual.
if amendment 3 passes, each party will still have a chance to have a privately funded process to figure out their nominee, they just would have to do it before the public primary.
And yeah I guess amendment 5 and 6 blended together for me. I like lower taxes too but I don't usually agree with complicated carve-outs, no matter how sympathetic their case is.
(10-10-2020, 10:55 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ] (10-10-2020, 10:09 PM)EricC85 Wrote: [ -> ]I believe there is supposed to be six amendments?
Amendment 1 citizen requirement to vote
I don’t understand why anyone would oppose this? 100% yes only citizens should vote that is so basic you can’t give me a valid argument why anyone would oppose this other than for partisan positioning.
Amendment 2 minimum wage increase
Hard No but I understand the argument, I just disagree with it.
Amendment 3 open primaries
Also a No for me, the parties have the right to dictate how they run their primaries if they want open primaries go for it if they only want their party members to vote then fine. I can’t vote in primaries as a registered libertarian but why should I be allowed to participate if the parties don’t want my input in their nomination, that’s on them.
Amendment 4 Requirement for dual approval to make amendments that’s overkill to me it’s a no. If an election results in a yes vote so be it the people have spoken. Making it twice as hard to make changes only serves the establishment.
Amendment 5 Extending homestead exemptions yes I always vote for less taxes it’s a principle for me
Amendment 6 extend benefits to Spouse of deceased military or first responders. I can’t believe that’s not already a thing? Yes absolutely cover the families of those paying the ultimate sacrifice even if they don’t die in the line of duty if they’ve earned those benefits they’re family deserves it as much as the individual.
if amendment 3 passes, each party will still have a chance to have a privately funded process to figure out their nominee, they just would have to do it before the public primary.
And yeah I guess amendment 5 and 6 blended together for me. I like lower taxes too but I don't usually agree with complicated carve-outs, no matter how sympathetic their case is.
If you don’t mind me asking, how did you vote for Amendment 1 & 2?
(10-11-2020, 01:24 AM)JagNGeorgia Wrote: [ -> ] (10-10-2020, 10:55 PM)mikesez Wrote: [ -> ]if amendment 3 passes, each party will still have a chance to have a privately funded process to figure out their nominee, they just would have to do it before the public primary.
And yeah I guess amendment 5 and 6 blended together for me. I like lower taxes too but I don't usually agree with complicated carve-outs, no matter how sympathetic their case is.
If you don’t mind me asking, how did you vote for Amendment 1 & 2?
No and no.
1 is already in Federal law, so I find it to be a useless amendment.
2 could cause some people's wages to go up, but it will cause their EITC benefits to go down. Overall, it will cause Floridians to pay more federal income taxes while getting less federal benefits. I think minimum wages should be set at the federal level only.