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Terrie Griffin: League of Women Voters calls for end to closed primaries

Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer

Terrie Griffin: League of Women Voters calls for end to closed primaries

Today, all registered Pennsylvania voters can cast a vote on four ballot questions. In four special elections (two in the state House, two in the state Senate), all voters can vote for candidates on the ballot. But for all of Pennsylvania’s primary elections, for municipal candidates as well as candidates for the state’s highest courts, almost 1.3 million voters will not be allowed a say.

Pennsylvania is one of just nine states that continue the practice of closed primaries, using public dollars to pay for private, partisan primaries. This system puts parties in charge, forcing candidates to play to the most partisan base rather than providing incentives for collaboration and outside-the-box solutions.

A Gallup poll released last month showed that nationally, 40% of U.S. voters consider themselves unaffiliated, while 31% are registered as Democrats and 26% are registered Republicans. Unaffiliated voters are the fastest-growing group, especially among younger voters. Voters are tired of electoral rules designed to maintain partisan power. Instead, we need systems that help us select leaders willing to listen to voters rather than party leaders. We need reforms that allow our elected officials to finally resolve pressing problems left unaddressed by decades of gridlock.

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The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania supports the work of Open Primaries PA. Along with coalition partners, we support:

● Fairness in representation to bring in more than 1 million Pennsylvania voters who are shut out of the primary elections that often determine who represents them.

● Accountability in elections to elect lawmakers who are accountable to the electorate at large, not just party leaders.

● No taxation without representation so that publicly funded primary elections are open to all voters.

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We strongly urge an end to closed primaries and would celebrate top-two or ranked-choice primaries, or any permutation of open or semi-open primaries.

Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, will soon re-introduce a bill (former Senate Bill 300) that passed in the Senate in the last session. It would allow unaffiliated voters to vote in the primary. Rep. Chris Quinn, R-Delaware County, has introduced a similar bill (House Bill 1369) that would permit unaffiliated voters to cast a ballot in either the Republican or Democratic primary. We affirm either of these steps toward a more inclusive system and urge quick passage in both chambers of our General Assembly.

Just 28% of registered voters voted in the 2020 primary. That number will be even lower this year. We need a primary system that encourages active participation by all Pennsylvania voters. We believe our major parties would be healthier if forced to appeal to a wider span of voters, and our democracy would be stronger if more voices were included in the selection process.

We urge all Pennsylvanians to learn more about the ballot questions and cast your vote today. Vote, if you can, for municipal and judicial candidates. Our ballot tool, Vote411, offers clear, nonpartisan information on ballot questions and candidates. Finally, let your legislators know that you support an end to closed primaries. It’s time to make sure we all have a voice when candidates are chosen.

Terrie Griffin is the president of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania.

First Published: May 18, 2021, 4:00 a.m.

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The primary election is today.  (Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer
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