The Electoral College

The Lincoln Primary amendment explicitly authorizes electoral college electors to vote for the presidential candidates winning the nationwide popular vote. The Secretary of State determines these winners by canvassing the election results from all states and territories. At the sole discretion of the Secretary however, the results from any state or territory may be ignored – if an open runoff process – equal to or better than the Lincoln Primary – isn’t used. Partisan elections with closed party primaries/caucuses are not acceptable. This process creates a single multistate election where only Lincoln Primary states are included.

Only two states are actually needed to overhaul the presidential election nationwide – California and Florida. It takes 270 Electoral College votes to win the U.S. Presidential election. Democrats cannot win without California’s 54 electors. Republicans cannot win without Florida’s 30 electors. If California and Florida both adopt a Lincoln Primary – the winner of the Presidential race will be chosen by the combined popular vote in just these two states. Other states (like Oregon) must eventually adopt a Lincoln Primary as well – or their votes simply will not matter.

Note that California is a “deep blue” state, and Florida is “red.” But California is much larger. If other red states don’t join Florida and adopt a Lincoln Primary, Republicans will forfeit the U.S. Presidential election. Specifically, Texas – with 40 electoral college votes, must join Florida by adopting a Lincoln Primary.

In both California and Florida, citizen initiated constitutional ballot measures are allowed. The Lincoln Primary measure shown below, can be modified for adoption in either state. If Democratic voters cooperate with independent voters, a Lincoln Primary ballot measure can be passed in any state. Even Florida – a red state where 60% of the vote is needed to pass a constitutional ballot measure. The plan is to get a Lincoln Primary ballot measure passed in California – then Florida. California is the lynchpin. It’s absolutely necessary. Florida however, could be replaced by almost any other red state or combination of states.

The ballot measure.

The text shown below, (or downloadable if you are on a mobile or tablet device), is a ballot measure to implement a Lincoln Primary in Oregon. This measure could be adopted for any state that allows citizen initiated constitutional amendments.

Signature cards? Online voting?

In February of each presidential election year, each registered voter in a Lincoln Primary state should receive an invitation (by mail?) to create an account and participate in the tracking pole. The amendment purposely doesn’t stipulate how this is done, but this could be an online account created through a website. The identity of the account creator must be “verified”, or the account will be closed before the tracking poll ends. Again, the amendment doesn’t stipulate how the account is to be verified. In Oregon, this will probably be accomplished by signing a “signature card” and returning it by mail. Other states could require voter I.D. This would necessarily mean that the verification must take place in person. The amendment is deliberately written to allow for adaptation in any state.

Candidates must accumulate 1000 endorsements by June 1st – or they’re disqualified. (Each presidential election, there are thousands of “frivolous” candidates that file to run for president.) On September 1st, all but the top five candidates are disqualified. This is late enough for the DNC and RNC conventions to complete their nomination process. The top five candidates then compete in a final runoff on the general election ballot. This is a non-partisan three-stage runoff process. Unlike existing partisan elections, all qualified candidates and voters are allowed to participate – at all stages of the runoff process. No one is excluded simply because they’re not members of a political party.

Separate but related issues – “RCV”, “Top Four” and “Top Two”

With five candidates on the general election ballot, there is a very real possibility of “vote splitting.” Four of the five candidates can somehow “split” the majority of the vote, allowing the remaining candidate to be elected with far less than 50%. (In a Democracy, you cannot govern effectively without majority support.)

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is a good solution to this problem There are other alternatives as well. “Multiple Endorsements” solves most of the same problems as RCV – but does so without all the clutter on the ballot and slow reporting of election results on election day. On each ballot, voters are instructed to “Endorse one or more” instead of “Vote for one.” Voters are allowed to make multiple endorsements. There will be more votes cast than ballots returned – but that is fine. The Lincoln Primary amendment purposely does not mandate or prohibit any solution. This issue must be addressed separately at some later date. (Note that, as written, the Lincoln Primary amendment allows the Secretary of State to implement a solution without legislative or voter approval.)

The number of candidates competing on the general election ballot should be addressed at some later date as well. The Lincoln Primary amendment, as it is written, advances five candidates to the general election ballot – but California and Washington have both adopted “Top Two” primaries. Alaska has adopted a “Top Four” primary. In Oregon, top two ballot measures have been defeated twice – by huge margins. Oregon voters see the “Top Two” as a thinly veiled scheme to keep Independent and Third-Party candidates off the general election ballot. With a “Top Two” primary – “voting for the lesser of two evils” is legally mandated. The “Top Two” primary is a sham.

The “Single Subject Rule”

The Oregon Constitution stipulates: “A proposed law or amendment to the Constitution shall embrace one subject only and matters properly connected therewith.” This is commonly called the “single subject rule.” The Lincoln Primary amendment does incorporate multiple issues – but each of these issues are “necessarily connected” to the main issue of abolishing political party control of the U.S. Presidential election.

Make Donations at “Independent Party of Oregon”.

Currently, donations from the general public are not being requested or accepted. If you would like to support election reform, please visit the Independent Party of Oregon website. This organization is a relatively new third party in Oregon. In the IPO 2025 – 2027 Platform statement, the IPO has endorsed both final five primary elections and an initiative primary.

Since February of 2024, membership in the IPO has been surging by hundreds, even thousands of new registered voters each month. In June of 2025, the number of registered party members surpassed 5% of the total registered voters in Oregon. Under existing law at the time, this would have qualified the IPO as major party – with a state-financed major party primary. Predictably, the Democrat controlled legislature quietly raised the voter registration threshold from 5% to 10%. (HB3809) If Democrats won’t support free elections – independent voters shouldn’t support Democratic candidates.

Have a question, suggestion or comment? Use the address, email or contact form below. (Please don’t call, you will be disappointed)

Lincoln Primary
670 SE Chester Ave.
Corvallis, Or. 97333

pdamainw2018@gmail.com