Is Massachusetts’s Primary Reform a “Jungle Primary”? No. Here’s What the Difference Is.

As debate over primary election reform heats up in Massachusetts, you’ll hear opponents of the Top-Two Primary Initiative call it a “jungle primary.” It’s a memorable phrase — and it’s factually wrong.

The authoritative source on U.S. primary election law, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), categorizes these as distinct systems with different rules, different processes, and different outcomes. Understanding the difference matters for voters trying to evaluate what’s actually being proposed.

What Is a “Jungle Primary”? (The Louisiana Model)

NCSL uses the term “All-Comers” for what critics call a “jungle primary.” This system is used in Louisiana for most state offices.

Here is how NCSL describes it:

“State legislative and some statewide elections in Louisiana use a modified version of this system called an ‘all-comers’ primary; other organizations may refer to this as a ‘jungle’ primary. In these elections, on the general election date, all candidates run on the same ticket. If no candidate receives over 50% of the vote, then the top two vote-getters face a runoff six weeks later. One way to look at this is to say there is no primary election — just a general election for all candidates, with a runoff when needed.”

Key features of the Louisiana All-Comers (jungle primary) system:

  • All candidates run on the general election date — there is no separate primary
  • A candidate who gets 50%+1 on general election day wins outright, with no general election runoff
  • Only if no one reaches 50% do the top two advance to a runoff held six weeks later
  • The “primary” in the conventional sense does not exist — it is collapsed into the general election

What Is the Massachusetts Top-Two Primary Proposal?

The Massachusetts Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative would create an all-party primary with the top two vote-getters advancing. This is most similar to a system NCSL classifies as a Multi-Party (Top-Two) Primary, the same category as California and Washington State.

Here is how NCSL describes the Top-Two system:

“A small but growing number of states hold a single primary in which all candidates, regardless of party, are listed on a single ballot… California and Washington use a ‘top-two’ primary format in which each candidate lists his or her party affiliation… The top two vote-getters in each race, regardless of party, advance to the general election.”

Key features of the Top-Two (All-Party Primary) system Massachusetts is considering:

  • There is a separate primary election, held before the general election
  • All candidates appear on one primary ballot, regardless of party
  • The top two vote-getters — regardless of party — advance to the November general election
  • No candidate wins in the primary; the primary only determines who advances
  • The November general election is always held between the top two candidates

Side-by-Side Comparison

Louisiana (All-Comers / “Jungle”) Massachusetts Proposal (All-Party/ Top Two)
Classification All-Comers  All-Party / Top Two
Is there a separate primary? No — candidates run on general election day Yes — a distinct primary election is held
When do voters choose? On general election day Twice: primary, then general election
What advances to general? Top two, unless someone gets 50%+1 (who wins outright) Always top two, regardless of vote share
Can the race end without a general election? Yes — if someone hits 50%+1 No — a general election always follows
States using this model Louisiana (most state offices) Similar systems in California, Washington, Alaska (Top-Four), Nebraska (legislature)

The systems work differently, are classified differently by NCSL, and have different effects on elections.

Why Does This Distinction Matter?

The “jungle primary” label is used as a rhetorical device. It is designed to make the reform sound chaotic and extreme. But the systems are genuinely different — and the NCSL classification makes this clear.

More importantly: Massachusetts already uses the nonpartisan top-two model for city and town elections. Most mayor’s races, city council races and local offices of all kinds are conducted through nonpartisan “preliminaries” where all candidates appear on one ballot and the top vote-getters advance to a general election. No one calls those elections “jungle primaries.” They work, and Massachusetts voters are familiar with them.

The Massachusetts Top-Two Primary Initiative would extend this same familiar model to state legislative, statewide, and federal elections — and add more information for voters by listing party registration and endorsements. It is not a Louisiana-style “jungle.” It is the system Massachusetts already uses at the local level, applied to state and federal races.

A Guide to Primary Election Types (Per NCSL)

For voters who want to understand the full landscape, here is how NCSL classifies the major primary systems in the United States:

Closed primaries: Only registered party members may vote. Independent/unenrolled voters are excluded.

Partially closed primaries: Parties can choose whether to allow unaffiliated voters.

Open to unaffiliated voters (current Massachusetts system): Unenrolled voters may choose one party’s primary ballot; registered party members must vote in their own party’s primary.

Open primaries: Any voter may choose any party’s primary; the choice does not change their registration.

Multi-Party / Top-Two primaries: All candidates on one ballot; every voter votes in the same primary; top two advance to the general election regardless of party. Used in California, Washington, and already in Massachusetts municipal elections.

All-Comers / “Jungle” primaries (Louisiana system): No separate primary; all candidates run on general election day; the race ends immediately if someone gets 50%+1, otherwise the top two go to a runoff.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Massachusetts Top-Two Primary a jungle primary? No. According to NCSL — the authoritative source on state primary election law — “jungle primary” refers to Louisiana’s All-Comers system, which collapses the primary into the general election date. The Massachusetts proposal is an All-Party top two primary, a distinct system with a separate primary election that similar to what is used in California, Washington, and Massachusetts’s own municipal elections.

What states use the actual jungle primary system? Louisiana uses the All-Comers (jungle primary) system for most state offices.

What states use the Top-Two (All-Party) system Massachusetts is considering? California and Washington State use Top-Two primaries for state and federal races. Alaska uses a variant (Top-Four). Nebraska uses a nonpartisan version for its legislature. And Massachusetts already uses a nonpartisan all-candidate primary model for all city and town elections.

Why do opponents call it a “jungle primary”? The term is used rhetorically rather than accurately. It is a label intended to make the reform sound chaotic. The National Conference of State Legislatures does not classify Top-Two primaries as jungle primaries — they are separate categories.

Does Massachusetts already use a system like this? Yes. Most mayoral races, city council races, and local offices in Massachusetts are already decided through a nonpartisan primary where all candidates appear on one ballot and the top vote-getters advance to a general election. The initiative would extend this model to state and federal races.

The Bottom Line

When someone calls the Massachusetts primary reform proposal a “jungle primary,” they are either misinformed or using an inaccurate label to make the reform sound more extreme than it is.

The National Conference of State Legislatures — the authoritative, nonpartisan source on state election law — classifies the Louisiana system and the California/Washington/Massachusetts-proposal system as different categories. The Massachusetts proposal is a All-Party Primary (Top Two): a separate primary election where all candidates appear on one ballot, with party registration and party endorsements and every voter participates. The top two advance to November.

That’s not a jungle. That’s how Massachusetts already runs most mayoral elections in a Top Two nonpartisan system.

See also:

Coalition for Healthy Democracy supports the Massachusetts Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative. For questions about primary reform, visit https://coalitionforhealthydemocracy.org/