New Poll: Majority of NYC Democrats Favor Open Primaries; 40% of Democrats are Actually Independents

Open Primaries will enter polling into the public record before the NYC Charter Revision Commission showing a large share of registered Democrats are actually independents.

New York, NY – In new polling released today conducted independently by IVC Media and commissioned by Open Primaries and the Independent Voter Project, New York City’s registered Democrats support opening primaries to independent voters by more than two-to-one: 51% in favor and just 23% oppose. The poll also discovered that approximately 40% of registered Democrats are actually independents or Republicans who register as Democrats to be able to vote in the Democratic Party primary, the election of consequence in NYC. 

At a Charter Revision Commission hearing on Tuesday, June 23, Open Primaries will enter these findings into the public record. Importantly, the independent polling finds:  

• Only 40% of NYC registered Democrats call themselves proud party members.  

• A statistically equal 39% say they are really independents who registered Democratic for one reason only: to vote in primaries.  

• Among Latino Democrats, only 1 in 3 (33%) actually consider themselves Democrats, the lowest share of any racial or ethnic group surveyed.

• 60% believe that the NY Democratic Party should allow independents to vote in the 2028 primary – only 20% of NYC registered Democrats disagree.  

• A majority of self-described “proud Democrats” say independents should be able to vote in the 2028 Democratic primary. 

“The current closed primary system forces people to lie in order to vote,” said John Opdycke, president and founder of Open Primaries. “Thirty-nine percent admit they’re independents who were forced to register as Democratic just to get access to the ballot. Our opponents insist that closed primaries are necessary to protect the integrity of the process. It’s actually the opposite.”

The findings arrive as New York City’s closed primary system faces growing scrutiny. Over a million independents – 54% of which are voters of color – are currently locked out of primary elections that, in most districts, are the only contests that matter. On Tuesday, June 23, close to 1.2 million unaffiliated voters across the city will be barred from participating in the primaries. 

“New York independents have been forced into a box: give up their independence or give up their voice. This is not a choice – it’s a disenfranchisement. And even Democrats want it to end,” concluded Opdycke.

IVC Media’s research crosstabs are available for members of the media upon request.

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About Open Primaries 

Open Primaries is a national election reform organization working to ensure every voter can participate equally in every public election. Learn more at: openprimaries.org 

BACKGROUND

Survey Methodology:

IVC Media conducted the poll June 11–12, 2026 via MMS-to-web survey among N = 1,394 NYC registered Democrats who voted in at least one of the 2024 or 2025 general elections. Results are weighted to the L2 voter-file population on race × gender × age. Margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points at 95% confidence, including the weighting design effect. Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding. Subgroup estimates carry wider margins of error and are reported for directional insight.