Cross Filing of Political Candidates in California

O0N JUNE 5, 1946 many American newspaper readers and radio listeners were amazed to hear that Governor Earl Warren of California had won both Republican and Democratic nominations in the primary election held the day before. Not only was the governorship filled, but also virtually elected in the primary were the Secretary of State, the Controller, the Treasurer, all four members of the Board of Equalization, twelve of the state's twenty-three Representatives in Congress, at least fifteen of the twenty state senators up for election, and perhaps sixty of the eighty members of the State Assembly. The unique device through which this is possible is called It is also called double or plural filing. It is the practice of permitting a candidate in a partisan primary election to seek the nominations of parties other than his own. As used in California since 1913, no test of party affiliation has been a prerequisite for an aspirant for any party's nomination. The successful cross filer is one who manages to secure both major party nominations. His name then appears on the November ballot with the label RepublicanDemocratic or Democratic-Republican, his own party affiliation appearing first. The November election usually becomes a mere formality for the cross filer who has won both party nominations

Ballot · Democracy · Formality · General election · Governor · Newspaper · Nomination · Political science · Politics · Primary election · Split-ticket voting · State (computer science · Test (biology · Voting · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Computer Science · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Engineering · Law · Law, Rights, and Freedoms · Public Administration