Dem Consultant Files to Repeal CA Top-Two Primary

A Democratic political consultant filed a ballot initiative on Friday seeking to repeal California's top-two primary system, amid concerns that the format could advance two Republicans to the November general election in the state's 2026 gubernatorial race.

Steven Maviglio submitted the proposal, titled "Undo the Top Two," to Attorney General Rob Bonta's office. If qualified for the 2028 ballot and approved by voters, it would reinstate traditional party-specific primaries starting in 2030, with each major party's top vote-getter advancing to the general election.

California's current system, approved by voters in 2010 through Proposition 14 with 54 percent support, sends the top two finishers from the June primary to the general election regardless of party affiliation. The primary for governor is set for June 2, 2026, to select a successor to term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Early polls showed Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and former Fox News host Steve Hilton, whom President Donald Trump endorsed in April, leading a crowded field that includes at least eight Democratic candidates. Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by nearly 2-to-1 statewide, but party leaders have...