The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 30, 2025
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
American voters identifying as “independent” are the largest group of voters, at 43%, according to recent Gallup polling. Depending on what kind of primary election your state parties have, millions of unaffiliated voters may not be able to vote. A bill in the U.S. House called the “Let America Vote Act” would change that.
The National Conference of State Legislatures counts 10 states with closed primaries, allowing only party members to vote, and another 9 with partially-closed primaries. Twenty-two states have primaries open to unaffiliated voters.
The bipartisan bill introduced on January 3rd includes the right for any voter to vote in any taxpayer-funded election, and for unaffiliated voters to vote in any primary for federal office. It would withhold election assistance funding for states not allowing unaffiliated voters to vote in state and local elections, and help to fund transitions to open primary systems. It prohibits any noncitizen from voting in federal elections, but also withholds election funding from states if noncitizens are allowed to vote in state or local elections, currently allowed in only 16 municipalities in the U.S.
Primaries are often low-turnout elections, which often bring out party activists, resulting in more extreme candidates. Allowing independent voters could pressure candidates to campaign to the middle, and moderate more extreme positions. Whether national party leadership will support it is an open question.
We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Gallup – GOP Holds Edge in Party Affiliation for Third Straight Year
National Conference of State Legislatures – State Primary Election Types
American Democracy Minute – (2023) Who Can Vote in a State Primary? Well, that Depends on Where You Live and Sometimes Whether You Belong to a Political Party
Office of U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) – Gluesenkamp Perez, Bipartisan Colleagues Introduce Election Reform and Integrity Legislation
U.S. Congress – H.R.155 – To require States to permit unaffiliated voters to vote in primary elections for Federal office, and for other purposes
Georgia Recorder/States News – Though noncitizens can vote in few local elections, GOP goes big to make it illegal
Bipartisan Policy Center – (2024) The Effect of Open Primaries on Turnout and Representation
Groups Taking Action:
Open Primaries, Represent.Us, Unite America
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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