In The News - Open Primaries

Editorial: Missouri lawmakers propose to lock in, and lock out, voters before primaries

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 16, 2021 at 3:08 PM

written by the St. Louis Post Dispatch editorial board

Lots of crazy things can happen in the leadup to an election that can shake voters’ confidence in a candidate. Crazy things like revelations of a presidential candidate caught on video talking about sexually abusing women, or a U.S. Senate candidate talking about the female body’s ability to fend off pregnancy after a “legitimate rape.” Sometimes people just decide they prefer the other party’s slate. But some Missouri legislators propose restricting the right of voters to change their minds.

Eight in Ten Americans are Concerned About Partisanship. Here's How 'The Unum Test' Can Reunite America

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 16, 2021 at 2:52 PM

BY JOHN AVLON , MICKEY EDWARDS , MAYA MACGUINEAS AND JONATHAN HAIDT for Time Magazine

Healing our divided nation is the defining challenge of our time. Nothing less than the success of the American experiment is at stake.

Our problems won’t be solved with a single election or a new president. Hyper-partisanship has poisoned our politics to such an extent that it compromised our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, fueled the spread of disinformation, and sparked the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Our Views: Don't close Louisiana's colorful buffet of political options by closing primaries

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 16, 2021 at 11:32 AM

the editorial board at The Advocate

No question about it, when you go to vote in Louisiana your ballot is going to look a lot different from those in most other states.

That isn’t just about the nicknames — T-Bob, LaLa, Bubba. It’s about the sheer number of, er, statesmen offering to sacrifice themselves on the altar of public service. Not to mention salaries and legislative per diems.

Too Strong? Too Weak? Or Obsolete? Looking at the Power of Political Parties

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 16, 2021 at 11:11 AM

written by Shawn Griffiths for IVN

‍Demographics in the American electorate are shifting, the needs and priorities of voters are changing, yet politics in the US hasn't changed much in the last half century. In fact, the only thing that has changed is that the government has gotten less and less responsive to voters.

Our View: Keep Maine in the forefront of state election practices

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 15, 2021 at 11:22 AM

BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD at Maine Press Herald

In Maine, we take the right to vote seriously. Whether it’s an annual town meeting or a presidential election, Mainers have a time-honored tradition of turning out and being heard.

We have been able to maintain that tradition by consistently modernizing our election laws to meet the needs of a changing electorate. As a result Maine “has some of the most inclusive and protective voting laws in the country, making it one of the most democratic states in the United States,” according to a 2018 report by the bipartisan U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Legislation would allow unenrolled voters to cast ballots in Maine party primaries

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 15, 2021 at 10:44 AM

written by Scott Thistle by Press Herald

Mainers who aren’t enrolled in a political party would be able to vote in party primaries under a bill that was heard by the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee on Monday.

The “open primary” measure was one of several bills before the committee that would alter Maine’s elections.

Supporters Testify In Favor Of Proposals To Open Maine's Party Primaries

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 15, 2021 at 10:25 AM

written by Steve Mistler for Maine Public

More than a third of Maine voters identify as independents or unenrolled. As such, those voters are not permitted to vote in the Republican or Democratic party primaries unless they register as a member of one or the other.

Solving the 'primary problem' will repair our government and elections

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 09, 2021 at 8:45 AM

BY JARED ALPER, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR for The Hill

In recent weeks, politicians, political activists and even Major League Baseball have zeroed in on Georgia to do battle over the election law recently signed by Gov. Brian Kemp. Outraged progressives declared the law an overt attempt at disenfranchising voters in response to the 2020 election results, while giddy conservatives applauded Kemp for taking a necessary step towards election security and integrity.

Editorial: Every step of the way

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 08, 2021 at 2:14 PM

Editorial/Opinion in Mount Desert Islander

Mainers take voting seriously.

Voters can register up until the day they vote and can vote absentee without an excuse. Public financing is available to candidates who want it, and Maine was among the first in the nation to adopt ranked–choice voting for every general election candidate.

Sen. Hickman: Mainers must have the right to vote in all taxpayer-funded elections

Posted by Russell Daniels on April 07, 2021 at 2:17 PM

BY CRAIG HICKMANSPECIAL TO THE PRESS HERALD

As we engage in ongoing and urgent conversations regarding equity and inclusion, and indeed what it means to be an American, one of the most cherished and honored American traditions is being challenged in legislative chambers around the country. In Georgia and elsewhere, legislation has been proposed or enacted that undermines Americans’ fundamental right to vote, threatening the life of our democracy itself.

646-205-0202

244 Madison Ave, #1106
New York, NY 10016

Open Primaries in the news