Before serving in the Maryland House of Delegates, Delegate Lily Qi knocked on thousands of doors across her district—home to a large and growing community of Chinese American and other immigrant voters. What she discovered was striking: more than 41% were registered as independents.

From day one, she saw how Maryland’s closed primary system locks nearly a quarter of the state’s voters out of the elections that often determine who will represent them. For those voters, the most consequential decisions are made without them.

So she took action.

Delegate Qi introduced legislation to open primary elections to independent voters. The response? Immediate skepticism from both major parties. But as she puts it: “Voting rights are civil rights — making our elections more democratic is fundamental to our rights as Americans.” The fight for inclusive elections in Maryland is far from over. New legislation has been introduced. Dozens of independent voters from across the state have testified before the Maryland House Government, Labor, and Elections Committee in support. And leaders like Delegate Qi remain at the forefront of this growing movement.

Open Primaries President John Opdycke sat down with Delegate Qi for a timely conversation about her leadership as a national voice for inclusive elections, the rise of independent voters within immigrant communities, and what’s next in the effort to ensure every Maryland voter has a voice.