Prop. 198 Impact on Primaries

State Sen. John R. Lewis (R-Orange) has persuaded himself and The Times (editorial, Feb. 15) that a referendum is needed to correct an “unintended consequence” of Prop. 198, the Open Primary Initiative. He argues that a closed primary must be established at the presidential level to bring California into conformity with the rules of the two major political parties for their nominating conventions in 2000.

The facts are otherwise. Prop. 198 took care to provide a tested means of harmonizing an open primary with the rules of the two major national conventions. It adopted the Washington state method of permitting separate ballots, limited to registered party members, for elections of party officials, like national convention delegates. In July 1996, however, subsequent to the passage of Prop. 198, the GOP National Convention passed a new and unprecedented rule, introduced by Michael Schroeder of California, expressly intended to undercut the careful provisions of Prop. 198. The controlling rule mandates a state convention if any open-party device is used at any level in 2000, “unless a state party rule provides specifically to the contrary.” To avoid a closed state convention, the rule thus places the exclusive burden of action on the California state GOP, of which Schroeder is now the chairman. Lewis’ proposed ballot initiative is irrelevant to this task.

On the Democratic side, a ballot initiative is unnecessary. The existing language of Prop. 198 should suffice.

The problem, then, is not re-amending state law but getting party leaders to work in good faith to implement the clearly expressed will of Californians for a less narrowly partisan approach to nomination politics at all levels.

JOSIAH LEE AUSPITZ

Somerville, Mass.