Home - OPEN-PRIMARIES

Donate

MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AGREE... "IT'S TIME TO LET ALL VOTERS VOTE!"

Open Primaries is building a coalition of diverse Americans to enact open primaries in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories

Sign up

Open Primary Campaigns
Across the Country

From Washington DC to Nevada, from Florida to New Mexico, from Pennsylvania to South Dakota–citizen leaders all across the country are coming together to build campaigns for open primaries.

Let US Vote

Since launching in 2009, Open Primaries has been fighting on behalf of Independent voters and their right to fully participate in our elections. We’ve launched a new project LetUSVote.org to build a community of independent voters to support each other, learn from each other, work together and fight for the recognition we deserve. After all, it just might be independents who save our broken democracy.

WHY OPEN PRIMARIES?

THE ORGANIZATION

LEADERSHIP: We are the nation’s leading experts on primary elections. We launched and have led the fight for reform for over 15 years.
ORGANIZING: We work with activists and leaders across the country to develop and support campaigns for change.
EDUCATION: We work to ensure that the public and policymakers are empowered with the information and tools they need to change the system.
BUILDING: We’re building a movement to let all voters vote in every publicly funded election.

THE ISSUE

FAIRNESS: Millions of independent voters--the fastest growing segment of the electorate--are excluded from voting in closed partisan primaries.
PUBLIC FUNDING: Primary elections are publicly funded and administered. No American should be required to join a political party in order to vote in a public election.
VOTER CHOICE: Voters want to be able to choose from among all the candidates. Closed partisan primaries don't allow that.
BETTER OUTCOMES: Elected officials perform better when competition is increased and they are incentivized to listen to their entire constituencies, not just partisan primary voters.

Social Media Feed

It’s official: the voters of Arizona will finally get to determine whether they want to be in charge of their own elections this November.

Colorado Sun: “With Proposition 131, open primaries can make Colorado’s gold-standard election system platinum.”

BREAKING: 1 in 4 voters in New York state do not belong to a party…and this number keeps rising. We need primary elections that include these voters.

BREAKING: US Voters, Activists Set to Rally Monday October 21st for Open Primaries Ahead of Historic Elections. Join in on the fun. Register for the rally TODAY.

Chronicle of Philanthropy: OP President John Opdycke has made The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of 17 nonprofit leaders who want to change how we vote! Check out the full list–We’re in good company.

BREAKING: The former Governor and Secretary of State of Montanas have both come out in support of Constitutional Amendment 126 to create nonpartisan Top 4 Open Primaries–it’s on the ballot this November!

IDAHO: Nearly 50% of veterans aren’t registered in either major party. Currently, Idaho shuts out these voters. That can change this November.

OKLAHOMA: Our friend & OKC Mayor David Holt is a champion for open primaries. Check out his recent interview on Flash point & keep your eyes on Oklahoma:

NEW POLL: A majority of Coloradans support reforming Colorado’s elections this November

BIG NEWS: 8 open primary initiatives on the ballot across the country this year?! Thank you for helping us make 2024 a historic year for this movement. Signup to stay in the loop!

IDAHO: A win for Idaho voters.

ARIZONA: AZ voters might be put in a position where they’re able to vote for open primaries this November but their votes might be thrown out–disenfranchising voters even more. #VoteYesonProp140

SOUTH DAKOTA: When you exclude people from primaries, you suppress voter turnout. It’s that simple.

PENNSYLVANIA: A new poll finds that 75% of PA voters want open primaries, and nearly 1 in 3 voters said they would change their party registration.

ARIZONA: “Independent voters, who make up a third of all voters in Arizona, get the second-class citizen treatment, forced to choose between the Republican or Democratic ballot in the primaries and ultimately, like the rest of us, left with the extremes in the general election.”

IDAHO: “The attorney general is attempting to block our initiative because he’s afraid that the vast majority of Idahoans will vote for it. He knows he can’t persuade the voters, so he’s trying to prevent them from having a say.”

Idaho SOS Announces that Open Primaries Initiative Has Officially Qualified for the November Ballot

WATCH: Let Us Vote shared the stories of Alix Johnson, an independent South Dakotan shut out in the state’s closed primaries.

The Conversation: Nevada is a battleground state – and may be a bellwether of more extreme partisanship

AZ Central: Arizona voters are about to blow up the way elections work

League of Women Voters Kentucky ENDORSES Open Primaries, Pursuing Open Primary Legislation in 2025

“Common sense Americans now outnumber Democrats and Republicans, and they’re ready to take their country back.”

THE FULCRUM: OP Senior VP Jeremy Gruber on Independent voters in a new piece in The Fulcrum

ABQ Journal: Closed Primaries Disenfranchise Large Swaths of Voters

The Hill: This November, Arizona could change the rule of electoral politics

The Fulcrum: Read OP President’s Brash Tacks this month in the Fulcrum

The Washington Post: Initiative 83 in Washington, D.C. would allow about 74,000 people registered as “unaffiliated” to vote in D.C.’s primary elections, implementing a ranked-choice system.

Kentucky SOS: “I do think it’s inevitable that we’re going to have open primaries. I think it’s just a matter of time.” – Michael Adams, Kentucky Secretary of State

BREAKING: Buffalo voters challenge NY Independent nominating deadline in appeals court

ABC NEWS: A new lawsuit in Tennessee challenging two state laws that require primary voters to be “bona fide” party members or to “declare allegiance” to the party they are voting for is gaining serious national attention.

Nebraska Examiner: Nebraskans for BetterGovernance’s solution includes all candidates on one ballot, accessible to all registered voters. Read Josh’s op-ed.

LET US VOTE: Serenity Mills is an independent voter because it helps her widen the variety of candidates she’s willing to support. Watch her explain why.

BREAKING: Idaho is getting closer to doing away with closed partisan primaries and replacing them with a single primary election open to all voters and candidates, regardless of party affiliation.

ABC News: Signatures submitted for top two open primaries in South Dakota!

IVN: Meet Independent Candidate for U.S. Senate from Nebraska Dan Osborn

BREAKING:Thousands of voters would be disenfranchised in closed partisan primaries if the Texas GOP decides to end open primaries at their upcoming convention.

WEST VIRGINIA: Independent voices will be silenced after the May 14 primary for governor. Read how they’ll impact the primary election for the last time

ARIZONA: Two prominent Arizona Veterans penned an op-ed this week in AZ Central coming out in support for Make Elections Fair AZ campaign to open Arizona’s primaries to all Arizonans.

Baltimore Sun: Younger voters more often than not do not embrace either party, but the current trend shows that millennials and Gen X members registered as independent when young are remaining independent as they get older. “My party, right or wrong” is not their mantra.

BREAKING: the open primaries initiative in Arizona–Make Elections Fairs–has gotten nearly 80% of the petition signatures it needs to get on the 2024 ballot!