The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 22, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
A Gallup poll released this month found 43% of Americans identify as unaffiliated, independent voters. But in some states, they can’t vote in primaries. As voting begins Jan. 23rd in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, what states are considering closing – or opening – primaries in 2024?
Closed primaries allow only those registered with a party to vote in that party’s primary. Open primaries allow any voter to take either party’s ballot. Semi-open primaries allow unaffiliated voters to take one or the other, while registered Democrats or Republicans can only vote in their primary.
New Hampshire’s Presidential primary is the same as it has been for the last few decades, allowing unaffiliated voters – the state’s largest block of voters – to vote. But the NH GOP is considering closing its future primaries, joining legislators in Louisiana and Ohio. Wyoming closed its primaries last year, joining Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Pennsylvania. In Wyoming and New Hampshire, attempts to close the primary have been driven by “crossover” voting, where voters became independent to influence the outcome of another party’s primary.
With the ranks of unaffiliated voters growing, ballot initiatives for a fully open primary are under consideration in Nevada, Oregon, Arizona and Idaho. Pennsylvania has open primary bills pending.
We have information about your state’s primary system, and the groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
National Conference of State Legislatures – State Primary Election Types
Gallup – Independent Party ID Tied for High; Democratic ID at New Low
Forbes – Voters Who Identify As Independents Skyrocket—As Democrats And Republicans Dwindle
American Democracy Minute – Fears of Crossover Voting Driving Party Activists to Close Primaries – But at the Expense of Silencing Independent Voters
CBS News – “Crossover voting” in primaries in Wyoming is about to become more difficult
NBC News – 6 states are rethinking how they run their primaries in 2024
Louisiana Illuminator – (Opinion) Partisan primaries would be a move backward for Louisiana
Public News Service – Bills would open PA primaries to unaffiliated voters
U.S. Vote Foundation – Primary Election Dates and Rules in Your State
Groups Taking Action:
Open Primaries, FairVote, Represent.Us, Unite America, Yes on 3 Nevada , Open Primaries Arizona, Idahoans for Open Primaries, Ballot PA
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#Democracy #DemocracyNews #OpenPrimaries #LetIndependentsVote #IndependentVoters