What is the Statewide Primary System?

The Pierce County Council wrote proposed charter amendment 3 to install the "statewide primary system". Why didn't they say the Top 2 system? Perhaps this is due to the ongoing lawsuit on the part of the Democrats and Republicans to have the Top 2 system legislation declared illegal and send the state back to the pick-a-party primary system.

By choosing to use the wording "statewide primary system", the amendment leaves the county at the whim of what happens on a statewide basis. This includes the possibility that Pierce County could be forced back to the pick-a-party primary. This is not something the voters of Pierce County want to have happen.

In 2006, the pick-a-party system was the statewide primary system. The voters had a chance to choose to change from the statewide primary system to Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and decided it was a better system.

In 2009, the County Council wants to shift back to the statewide primary system. Reject amendment 3. Reject all three charter amendments.