At least six states are considering changing their primary election systems in 2024, with nearly all looking at ways to open up partisan primaries to involve more voters. These primaries are crucial in the U.S. but have low voter turnout. Gerrymandering has also led to fewer competitive races. Supporters of the change argue that opening up primaries to all voters would reduce political extremism and engage more Americans. Critics, however, argue that the parties have the right to nominate candidates as they see fit.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, eight states, including Nevada and Pennsylvania, have completely closed primaries, where only registered party members can vote. Other states have various restrictions on participation. Some states, like California and Alaska, have a single primary and allow multiple candidates to advance to the general election.
Arizona is proposing “Make Elections Fair Arizona,” a campaign that aims to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot. This amendment would require the state to host one nonpartisan primary for all voters. In Idaho, the group “Idahoans for Open Primaires” is working to get a measure on the November ballot by gathering thousands of signatures from registered Idaho voters. To learn more, click here and Read More about the potential changes across all six states.
