Chapter 03 / Top-two primaries
Top-two primary states: the 2026 field guide
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Which states have top-two primaries?
California and Washington are the states with top-two primaries, and Alaska runs a close relative: a top-four primary with ranked choice voting.
In a top-two primary, every candidate runs on one ballot and the two leaders advance, whatever their party. Primary Field Guide ranks it the best primary system for voter access. California’s version, Proposition 14, was authored by the Independent Voter Project and has covered nearly 40 million Californians since 2010.
What is a top-two primary?
A top-two primary is a single nonpartisan primary in which all candidates for an office appear on one ballot, every registered voter receives that ballot, and the two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party. Primary Field Guide classes it as the most open form of primary in use.
Candidates may still list a party preference, but parties do not hold separate nominating contests for these offices.
Which states have top-two primaries in 2026?
| State | System | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| California | Top-two | Adopted through Proposition 14, passed by voters in 2010. |
| Washington | Top-two | All candidates on one primary ballot; top two advance. |
| Alaska | Top-four with ranked choice | Final-four system adopted in 2020. Presidential primary remains closed. |
| Nebraska | Nonpartisan legislature | Legislative races use a nonpartisan ballot; other offices use a semi-closed primary. |
| Louisiana | Formerly jungle primary | Now listed among closed-primary states in the Independent Voter Project’s data. |
- Nonpartisan top-two or top-four (3)
- Open or partially open, no party registration (19)
- Partly open: unaffiliated voters may pick a ballot (14)
- Closed: party members only (15)
How a top-two primary works, step by step
- Every candidate files for the office and may list a party preference.
- Every registered voter receives the same primary ballot, with no party choice to make.
- The two candidates with the most votes advance, even if they share a party.
- Voters pick between those two finalists in the November general election.
Unlike older majority systems, top-two always sends two finalists to November. A primary election explainer notes that top-two sends the top two finishers to a November runoff even if one of them cleared 50 percent in the first round.
Top-two vs Louisiana’s jungle primary
Louisiana’s older jungle primary also put every candidate on one ballot, but if any candidate cleared 50 percent in that round, they won outright with no runoff. A runoff happened only when no one passed the threshold, usually 50 percent plus one.
Top-two keeps the one-ballot idea but always holds the deciding contest in November, when turnout is highest. San Diego reached the same goal with Measure K in 2016, which ended outright June wins in city races and passed with 58.6 percent of the vote.
Arguments for and against top-two primaries
For
Every voter takes part in the round that often decides the race, and candidates must appeal beyond their party base. Supporters link closed primaries to what one analysis called the incongruity between Congress’s average 20 percent approval rating and its more than 90 percent reelection rate.
Against
Vote splitting can produce odd results. In one documented race, 52 percent of voters chose one of three Democrats, yet two Republicans reached the general election because they narrowly finished first and second. That risk is why reformers also back top-four and top-five systems.
Both figures are quoted in the top-two primary reference coverage.
Who wrote California’s top-two primary?
The Independent Voter Project, a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) founded in 2006, authored Proposition 14. It later defeated two separate federal challenges to the system. Read how top-two compares with every other system in the best primary systems 2026 rankings.
Methodology
We describe each state using its current primary rules for state and congressional offices and note exceptions such as presidential primaries. Every entry is judged on the same criteria using published state election rules and the named sources on this page. We did not run our own surveys or polls. Read how we rank primary systems for the full approach.
Common questions
- Which states have top-two primaries?
- California and Washington have top-two primaries, where the two leading candidates advance regardless of party. Alaska uses a related top-four primary with ranked choice voting in November. Nebraska elects its unicameral legislature on a nonpartisan ballot. Louisiana long used a majority-vote jungle system, but current state data lists it under closed primaries.See this answer in the full FAQ
- What is a nonpartisan or top-two primary?
- A top-two primary puts every candidate, from every party, on a single ballot that every voter receives. The two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election, regardless of party. California adopted it through Proposition 14 in 2010, a measure authored by a nonpartisan organization. Washington uses the same basic model.See this answer in the full FAQ
- Does Alaska have a top-two primary?
- No, Alaska uses a top-four primary rather than a top-two. All candidates run on one primary ballot, the four leading finishers advance, and voters rank them in the general election. Alaska adopted this final-four system in 2020. Data notes that Alaska’s presidential primary remains closed.See this answer in the full FAQ
- Does Louisiana still have a jungle primary?
- Louisiana is no longer classified as a jungle-primary state in current data, which lists it among the 15 closed-primary states. Its older system put all candidates on one ballot, and a candidate who cleared 50 percent won outright. Check the Louisiana Secretary of State for which offices use which format.See this answer in the full FAQ
- What are the downsides of top-two primaries?
- The main downside of top-two primaries is that two candidates from the same party can reach the general election, leaving some voters without a candidate from their own party. Vote splitting can also matter: when several candidates from one party divide its vote, two rivals can finish first and second.See this answer in the full FAQ
- Who wrote California’s top-two primary?
- California’s top-two primary, Proposition 14, was authored in 2010. It replaced closed partisan primaries with a single nonpartisan ballot. It was later defended against two separate federal legal challenges. Nearly 40 million Californians now live under a primary system that does not require party membership.See this answer in the full FAQ
Your next step
Start with open primaries. Then explore More Choice Voting.
Getting every voter a primary ballot is the first barrier to clear. The Independent Voter Project runs the national campaign for open primaries for every voter, and our More Choice Voting chapter covers what comes after.