A nonpartisan blanket primary (also known as a qualifying primary, top-two primary, Louisiana primary, Cajun primary or jungle primary) is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election. A second round of voting is only necessary if no candidate receives an overall majority. However, there is no separate nomination process for candidates before the first round, and parties cannot thin the field using their own internal processes (such as a convention). Similarly, it is entirely possible that two candidates of the same party could advance to the second round.
Read more about Nonpartisan Blanket Primary: Candidate Party Preference and Ballot Disclaimer, Use in Louisiana, Use in Washington State, Use in California, Use Elsewhere in The United States, Criticism
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