Open Louisiana Primary

From dKosopedia

The Open Louisiana Primary, a.k.k. Blanket Primary, less commonly and perjoratively a.k.a. Jungle Primary is an election combining the functions performed by the majority run-off party primary election and the run-off general election. All candidates for the same elective office, whether major party, minor party and independent, enter the same initial contest. If one candidate wins 50% of the vote, there is no run-off election and that candidate wins the election. If no canddiate wins 50% of the vote then there is a run-off election between the top two vote getters.

The Open Louisiana Primary was adopted under Democratic Governor Edwin Edwards, who served three non-consecutive terms as the state's Governor from 1972 to 1980, 1984 to 1988 and 1992 to 1996.

Majority run-off elections became common across the American South at a time when one party, the Democratic Party, dominated politics in the Solid South. Majority run-off elections are also the political tradition in France and many of its former colonies. Electoral majorities are seen as more democratic than mere electoral pluralities, which is the dominant Anglo-Saxon tradition.

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