Political parties and pundits were quick to name President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump as potential candidates, but many voters still have an important opportunity to make their voices heard on Super Tuesday. . For example, Republican Nikki Haley and Democrat Dean Phillips may be seen as favorites in the primaries, but they are facing a presidential rematch that more than two-thirds of Americans say they do not support. It is also a legitimate means of expressing a desire for alternative options. want.
This dissatisfaction with the expected presidential election in 2024 is especially pronounced among independent voters. However, on Super Tuesday, closed presidential primaries (only voters registered with a political party can participate) were held in four states: Alaska, California, Oklahoma, and Utah, and 6.2 million independents voted I can no longer make a real choice in the house battle. Democrats in those states are allowing independent voters to participate in their primaries this season, but independents will be the only national race in 2024 for Republicans in the primary between Trump and Haley. Voting in primaries is not permitted.
This systemic silencing of the nation’s largest and fastest growing voter base is outrageous and has serious negative consequences not only for our democracy but for the political parties themselves.
Nationally, 43% of voters identify as independent, compared to 27% of Democrats and Republicans. 23.5 million independent voters in 22 states are barred from closed presidential and congressional primaries in 2024, an increase of nearly 20% over the past decade. In fact, a January poll conducted by Change Research on behalf of United America found that three out of four voters believe this is an “infringement on voting rights.” These “excluded independent” voters are disproportionately younger than the general population and more likely to be veterans. They express dissatisfaction with government gridlock and both major political parties, but they have strong opinions on policy. Independents vote for the people, not the political parties.
Contrary to popular belief, independents are not indifferent or uninterested in participating. More than 80% say they want the freedom to vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries for the 2024 presidential election, and 87% support opening the primaries to independent voters.
Popular comics about the Democratic Party
Partisans will reflexively say that if independents want to vote in party primaries, they should register with a party. This idea of “If you want to have a voice, join the party” is not American. After all, primaries are funded by taxpayers. In U.S. House and other voting races, the primaries are often the only elections that matter, as gerrymandering and geographic self-selection make most districts heavily weighted toward one party or the other.
Parties need to embrace open systems rather than fight them. Indeed, the first political party to do so was do not have Excluding independent voters by making primaries public may actually have many benefits. Open primaries could help parties nominate candidates that voters actually like. Republicans and Democrats alike learned this lesson the hard way. In 2022, Republicans lost a number of potentially winnable Senate races in states like Pennsylvania because they nominated unpopular candidates in closed primaries. That same year, the Democratic Party lost a contentious U.S. House seat in Oregon after the incumbent Democratic Party lost office in the primary and the party fielded a candidate with less appeal in the general election.
Polls also show that independent voters are more likely to reward parties and their candidates who defend voting rights. A recent Change Research poll found that 58% of excluded independents said they would likely support a Democrat or Republican if they accepted the right to vote.
Both parties could send a powerful message by embracing all voters, not just partisan voters, in elections. The Maine Legislature recognized this when it passed legislation to begin the state’s primary elections in 2022. In 2024, Maine’s approximately 275,000 independent voters will have a say in choosing general election candidates for the first time.
Five states (Alaska, California, Louisiana, Nebraska, and Washington) are further along in opening their primaries. For Congressional and statewide elections, traditional party primaries using separate Democratic and Republican ballots were replaced with completely nonpartisan races using a single all-candidate ballot. In these elections, all voters have the right to vote for any candidate in all elections, regardless of party. Citizens are working to advance nonpartisan primary voting efforts in several states this year, including Nevada, Colorado, Montana, Idaho and South Dakota.
It is an American tradition to change election rules to make them more democratic. A century ago, we scrapped the long-standing tradition of party officials choosing candidates in the proverbial smoke-filled room in favor of giving voters a more direct say through primaries. That was long before independent voters outnumbered members of the major parties. It is past time for us to continue to innovate and improve our elections.
Well, Super Tuesday doesn’t seem so super. In fact, millions of independent voters will no longer be able to choose who they really want, and millions more will stay home because they don’t like their choice. The time has come for independent voters to fully participate. Our people, our country, and even our political party will be better for it.