cross-file
Verb: - To register as a candidate in the primary elections of more than one political party. This practice, also known as cross-filing, allows a candidate to seek the nomination of multiple parties for the same office in a single election cycle.
The verb "cross-file" is used in the context of elections and political candidacy. It describes the specific administrative action of filing candidacy paperwork with multiple parties. - A candidate may cross-file to increase their chances of advancing to the general election. - The rules for whether a candidate can cross-file vary by state or jurisdiction.
- The incumbent state senator decided to cross-file, seeking the nomination of both the Democratic and Republican parties.
- In some local nonpartisan races, candidates can effectively cross-file by collecting signatures from a broad base of voters.
- "He plans to cross-file in the upcoming primary," the campaign manager announced.
- Historical/Legal Context: The practice of cross-filing was notably used in California from 1913 to 1959, where it allowed candidates to appear on the primary ballot of multiple parties. Discussion of this often uses the past tense.
- Many mid-century California politicians successfully cross-filed to secure their positions.
- Cross-filing (noun): The act or practice of filing as a candidate with more than one party.
- Cross-filing was a common strategy in that state's electoral system.
- Cross-filed (adjective/participle): Describes a candidate who has undergone this process.
- The cross-filed candidate appeared on two primary ballots.
- File concurrently (with multiple parties).
- Seek multiple party nominations.
This term is highly specific to political and electoral systems. It does not refer to the general act of filing documents in multiple locations (e.g., cross-filing a legal brief). Its meaning is confined to the context of candidate registration for primary elections.
- have one's name listed as a candidate for several parties