New Study Says Nonpartisan Primaries 'Most Likely' to Disrupt Political Monopoly in Baltimore

Baltimore is a one-party city, so much so that it hasn't had a Republican mayor since 1967. Registered Democrats vastly outnumber any other party registration, having a tenfold advantage over the Republican Party. It's as blue as a city could get.

The consequence of this is November elections are inconsequential. The winner of the closed Democratic mayoral primary, for instance, might as well be sworn in the next day, and he or she can win with a marginal share of the total registered voting population. Voters outside the Democratic Party have no voice in the process.

A new study by George Washington University political scientist Christopher Warshaw says in order to strengthen political competition and improve city elections Baltimore should implement nonpartisan reform. Specifically, he says the nonpartisan "'top-two primary' is the reform most likely to improve Baltimore’s mayoral elections. This reform would increase turnout and electoral competition." The Abell Foundation published Warshaw's study just in time for Maryland's June 2 primary.

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Source: Independent Voter News