Editorial: More Pennsylvanians should be allowed to vote in primary elections, like today’s

As voters head to the polls to cast their ballots today, it’s worth considering how our primary system can improve to ensure more Pittsburghers have a say in their elected municipal government — including the mayor. Pittsburgh has not had a Republican mayor since 1934, which means that in practice registered Republicans, as well as independents, have essentially no say in who their mayor will be.

That’s thanks to Pennsylvania’s “closed” primary system, in which only voters who are formally registered with a political party can vote in that party’s primary. The commonwealth is one of a dwindling number of states, now down to ten, that still use this system, which notably excludes 16% of Pennsylvanians who are independent voters — and whose taxes help fund the primary system.

“ I just believe our democracy will get better once individuals that are running for office have to reach out to more than the Democrat and Republican base,” said state Senator Lisa Boscola, D-Lehigh.

Ms. Boscola is one of eight senators cosponsoring Senate Bill 400, introduced by Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, which would allow independent voters to participate in a party primary of their choosing. The House version, bill number 280, is sponsored by Rep. Jared Solomon, D-Philadelphia.

We strongly support this measure, which would force primary candidates to consider a wider range of voters in their campaigns. In races where the electorate is closely split between Democrats and Republicans, including statewide races, this would decrease the likelihood of extreme candidates from either side making it to the ballot. In races where one party predominates, such as Democrats in the City of Pittsburgh or Republicans in many outlying counties, this would ensure that more people can vote in the primary that will choose the eventual office-holder, resulting in at least somewhat more representative elected officials.

A 2024 poll from Franklin & Marshall College’s Center for Opinion Research shows that 77% of registered voters “favor open primary elections that allow registered independent voters to participate in the primary election of their choice,” with 31% of voters indicating “that allowing independents to vote in open primaries would make them likely to change their party registration.”

That last point is especially important: Closed primaries force people with difficult-to-categorize views — which includes many, many people — to choose to affiliate with a party when they’d prefer to be independent.

In Pittsburgh, where the mayoral primary has decided the general election for almost a century, allowing independent voters to participate in primary elections would incentivize candidates of either party to appeal to the center, better reflecting the views of all Pittsburgh voters. The current primary, for instance, has been marked by attempts to stake out increasingly progressive positions, leaving many Pittsburgh voters feeling unheard and unrepresented.

Appealing to independent voters will force the right and left wings of their respective parties to better make the case for their policies and visions.

A semi-open primary, allowing unaffiliated voters to vote in either party’s primary, is a good first step. A truly open primary, which allows voters to select which primary they vote in despite partisan affiliation, would allow all Pittsburgh voters to have a voice in selecting their mayor. 

But much like ranked choice voting, that might be an interesting idea that’s tough to make happen. In the meantime, a semi-open primary system would go a long way to fully enfranchising independent voters.

Today, though, it’s important that those who do have a say in our future elected officials get out to vote. The more people vote, the more Pittsburgh’s leaders, and the region’s leaders, will reflect the people’s values and priorities.