Hosts Chad Peace and Cara McCormick use the viral Katie Porter clip as a case study in how election rules shape campaigns and coalitions in California. They unpack why the moment struck a nerve, then explain the incentives of the Top Two primary and what a Final Five model - with an open top-five primary and a ranked-choice general - could change, drawing lessons from Alaska. Along the way, they note recent shifts in the 2026 field and connect the conversation to a timely Supreme Court fight over counting properly postmarked mail ballots after Election Day - clear, voter-first context beyond the outrage cycle.

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Chapters:
00:00:00 – Welcome to the Independent Voter Podcast

00:01:37 – California Governor’s Race and Katie Porter Interview

00:05:18 – Expanding Top-Two to Top-Five Elections

00:09:26 – Party Division and Candidate Behavior

00:11:11 – National Guard, Governors, and Political Power Plays

00:12:33 – Origins of Ranked-Choice Voting Advocacy

00:18:17 – Supreme Court Cases and Independent Voter Rights

00:29:04 – California’s Prop 50 and the State of Democracy

00:33:26 – Closing Reflections and Call to Action