Judge OKs Crossover Primary Voting

OLYMPIA, Wash. - A federal judge on Wednesday upheld the state's "blanket" primary system that allows all voters to choose finalists for public offices regardless of political party affiliation.


Lawyers for the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties had argued a 2000 Supreme Court ruling in a California case made clear that states cannot force political parties to allow outsiders to help select their nominees.

But Judge Franklin Burgess ruled the two states are significantly different and Washington political parties failed to prove their First Amendment rights were violated.

Washington's blanket primary was created by a citizen initiative 67 years ago.

"The decision preserves the primary system Washington voters are familiar with and, I believe, prefer," Attorney General Christine Gregoire (news, bio, voting record) said after the ruling.

The political parties said they planned an appeal.