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For the first time in California, voters on June 5th will not be voting on primary elections for candidates vying for the same seat from their own party – rather they will be picking a single candidate out a field of candidates from all parties, major and minor. The top two vote winners will then move into an election race come November. The new system was put into place by voters via a ballot measure last November and could have the peculiar outcome of having two candidates from the same party face off in a general election. Also complicating the June 5th election are newly drawn district lines – a Citizen’s redistricting commission, also empowered by a voter-passed ballot measure, has redrawn districts all across the state, in some instances forcing incumbent candidates to run against other incumbents in new districts.

The Democratic Party has enjoyed a majority in California’s State Legislature and Senate, and also controls the Governorship. But this year’s elections could result in the party winning a super-majority, or 2/3rds control of both state bodies, which could enable the passage of revenue raising bills.

GUEST: Dante Atkins, Front page editor for Calitics.com, writer for DailyKos.com.