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.
>@RussJDaniels
Russell Daniels
published Solving the 'primary problem' will repair our government and elections in Open Primaries in the News
2021-04-09 08:45:34 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Editorial: Every step of the way in Open Primaries in the News
2021-04-08 14:14:09 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Sen. Hickman: Mainers must have the right to vote in all taxpayer-funded elections in Open Primaries in the News
2021-04-07 14:17:31 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Independent Voters Aren’t Just Growing, They're Changing American Politics in Open Primaries in the News
2021-04-06 15:16:40 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Letters: Party regulars should stop toying with people's right to choose leaders in Open Primaries in the News
2021-04-05 09:55:54 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published The Fahey Q&A with two state legislators pushing to open Maine's primaries in Open Primaries in the News
2021-04-05 09:39:10 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Report: Few Americans have a say in most congressional elections in Open Primaries in the News
2021-04-02 10:51:15 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Closed primaries are one reason for decreasing civility in Idaho politics in Open Primaries in the News
2021-04-02 10:31:34 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published GOP disagreement emerges over whether to change Louisiana's unique open primary elections in Open Primaries in the News
2021-04-01 00:38:16 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published The Youth Vote: Will The Future Be Defined By Party Politics? in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-25 23:17:13 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Voter registration bill restrictive, deserves veto in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-25 23:08:48 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Opinion: Democracy has no 'saved' seats - elected officials represent people, not parties in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-25 22:49:22 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Are Oregon’s closed primaries disenfranchising unaffiliated voters? in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-25 22:45:36 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Strengthen democracy – open up Maine’s primaries in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-25 22:38:37 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Support Maxim’s bill for semi-open primaries in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-25 22:32:59 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Support bill to open primaries in Maine in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-19 09:33:58 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published ACTIVIST CHARLES MUNGER, JR.: POLITICAL REFORMS THAT WORK in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-19 01:25:05 -0400
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Russell Daniels
published Independent voters surpass 20 percent, but lack representation. Lawmakers unswayed in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-11 23:11:25 -0500
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Russell Daniels
published Open primaries? Republicans move to make Utah voting even more insular in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-05 15:07:52 -0500
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Russell Daniels
published Limits on voters switching parties before primaries passes Utah Legislature in Open Primaries in the News
2021-03-05 13:43:55 -0500
Solving the 'primary problem' will repair our government and elections
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
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
Independent Voters Aren’t Just Growing, They're Changing American Politics
written by Jeremy Gruber & John Opdycke for IVN
Just a few weeks after the storming of the Capitol and the impeachment trial, Gallup found for the first time that 50% of voters identify as independents. Registered independent voters are now the largest or second largest group of voters in half the states and will be the largest or second largest group of voters in almost every state in the country within a few years at current rates of growth.
Letters: Party regulars should stop toying with people's right to choose leaders
written by Steve Guidry for The Advocate
I am registered as a Republican but voted for John Bel Edwards because I thought he was the best candidate. I voted for Donald Trump twice and hope like heck I never have to vote for him again.
The Fahey Q&A with two state legislators pushing to open Maine's primaries
written by Katie Fahey for The Fulcrum
Since organizing the Voters Not Politicians 2018 ballot initiative that put citizens in charge of drawing Michigan's legislative maps, Fahey has been the founding executive director of The People, which is forming statewide networks to promote government accountability. She regularly interviews colleagues in the world of democracy reform for our Opinion section.
Report: Few Americans have a say in most congressional elections
Despite record-high turnout in last year's general election, a new report found that a majority of congressional elections in 2020 were determined by only a small number of voters due to the widely used partisan primary system.
Closed primaries are one reason for decreasing civility in Idaho politics
BY MAT ERPELDING, DIANA LACHIONDO, LUKE MALEK AND KELLEY PACKER for the Idaho Statesman
Notice the rising temperature in Idaho politics? Don’t just blame trends on increased national political polarization. One reason Idaho’s democracy has become less civil in recent years can be traced to our state moving to a closed primary voting system.
GOP disagreement emerges over whether to change Louisiana's unique open primary elections
by Sam Karlin for The Advocate
As the state Legislature prepares to debate whether to change Louisiana’s unique open primary election system and move to closed party primaries, a public disagreement between some of the state’s top Republican officials has emerged over the question.
The Youth Vote: Will The Future Be Defined By Party Politics?
written by Shawn Griffiths for IVN
The general perception of young voters is that they are largely detached from politics and thus have no interest and don’t participate. Yet, the largest segment of the voting population -- Generation Y -- and the generation that follows, Gen Z, could completely change the way elections, and by extension politics, are conducted in the US.
Voter registration bill restrictive, deserves veto
letter to the editor in The Standard Examiner by Lora Beth Brown
HB 197 Voter Affiliation Amendments is not a good bill. It mimics Republicans across the U.S in trying to limit voter participation. This Utah bill restricts when members of third parties can change their voter registration, to vote in the closed Republican primary.
Opinion: Democracy has no 'saved' seats - elected officials represent people, not parties
by Rich Vial for The Oregon Way
"If the Oregon Way is to give all its citizens an equal opportunity to choose their representatives, then filling vacancies through fair and open elections is the only real solution."
Are Oregon’s closed primaries disenfranchising unaffiliated voters?
Strengthen democracy – open up Maine’s primaries
Letter to the Editor by Jim Shaffer to the Press Herald
I consider myself a political independent, so why am I enrolled in a party? It is because, as an independent, I can’t participate in (taxpayer-funded) primary elections.
Support Maxim’s bill for semi-open primaries
Letter to the Editor by Janet Williams for CentralMaine.com
Maine bill L.D. 231 supports semi-open primaries, which would open Maine’s primary elections to unenrolled voters. This would allow independent voters to cast one ballot in the primary of their choice. Republicans and Democrats would not be able to vote in a primary other then their own party’s.
Support bill to open primaries in Maine
letter to the editor from Scarborough City Councilors in the Press Herald
To the editor,
First, although we are all elected officials in Scarborough, this letter reflects our personal opinions, not those of the Scarborough Town Council or BOE.
We are writing to respectfully encourage legislators to support LD 231, An Act to Establish Open Primaries.
ACTIVIST CHARLES MUNGER, JR.: POLITICAL REFORMS THAT WORK
originally appeared in The CommonWealth Club
Dr. Charles Munger advocates good government, representative politics and a strong, responsible two-party system for California and the nation. Viewed by many as a moderate Republican, Dr. Munger campaigned in 2012 for California's current open "top two" primary and was the co-author of 2010's Proposition 20 to keep elected representatives separate from the process of creating congressional districts. He believes both have worked to encourage true representative government.
Independent voters surpass 20 percent, but lack representation. Lawmakers unswayed
written by Bryan Metzger for New Mexico In Depth
When New Mexicans head to the polls during a general election, they usually have just two viable options: a Democrat or a Republican. There may be a Libertarian or unaffiliated candidate on the ballot, as well. Sometimes there may even be just one candidate on the ballot, as was the case in more than a quarter of the 112 state legislative races in the 2020 general election, all of whom represented a major political party.
Open primaries? Republicans move to make Utah voting even more insular
By David Hawkings for The Fulcrum
The movement to weaken the major parties' hold on primaries, the de facto elections in much of this politically polarized nation, has been dealt a fresh setback in Utah.
Gov. Spencer Cox is expected to sign legislation, which won final passage this week from his fellow Republicans in dominant control of the Legislature, to prevent Utahns from switching parties within three months of a primary.
Limits on voters switching parties before primaries passes Utah Legislature
written by Katie Mckellar (Deseret News) for KSL.com
SALT LAKE CITY — A bill to cut off Utahns' ability to switch political party affiliation months before primary elections has won approval from the full Utah Legislature.
Rep. Jordan Teuscher's HB197 passed the Senate on a 22-3 vote Wednesday, after the House last month voted 41-30 to approve it. The bill now goes to Gov. Spencer Cox's desk for his signature or veto.