The newspaper that goes by the new motto “Democracy Dies in Darkness” is now being open in their opinion on the nominating process now that they are about to see Bernie Sanders as the dominating fontrunner. The elite and the establishment are one in the same and the WaPo op-ed calls for the elites and not the voters to have the final say.
Basically, it lays out a plan that would deny Sanders the nomination should he win it. The DNC is working towards a similar plan whereby the Super Delegates get to vote in the first round at the Democratic National Convention. Super Delegates are free to pick anyone they wish regardless of voting. They were the ones who put the damper on the Sanders’ campaign in 2016 when Super Delegates were able to vote in the first ballot.
So, what exactly would “preference primaries” look like? Here’s the pitch:
Preference primaries could allow voters to rank their choices among candidates, as well as to register opinions about their issue priorities — like an exit poll, but more formal and with all the voters. The results would be public but not binding; a way to inform elites about voter preferences.
This process could accompany a primary of the sort we’re used to — in which voters’ first choices instruct the delegates, and preferences come into play only if there’s no clear winner. The primaries could also be held in combination with elections for convention delegates so that these representatives are informed by their constituents’ preferences. This would also help voters hold these delegates accountable in the future. The point is to build a way for party elites to understand what their base is thinking, and to allow them to bargain so that these different preferences and priorities can be balanced.