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# Colorado Opens Primary Elections to 1.3 Million Independent Voters
- URL: https://ivn.us/colorado-opens-primaries/
- Published: 2016-11-10T22:19:44.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-22T19:55:40.000Z
- Author: Kristen Henderson
- Tags: News

**San Diego, CALIF.** \- As the haze from the presidential election dissipates, many Americans are reflecting on the electoral process itself. And for the first time in a long time, the nation seems to have reached an agreement: flaws in the system must be addressed.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research[ reports](http://www.apnorc.org/projects/Pages/HTML%20Reports/the-frustrated-public-americans-views-of-the-election-issue-brief.aspx?ref=ivn.us) that, despite a typically divided electorate, “there are few partisan differences in the public’s lack of faith in the political parties, the nominating process, and the branches of government.”

Primary reform has been a hotly deliberated topic since early 2016, when millions of independent voters (half of which are [millennials](http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2014/03/07/millennials-in-adulthood/?ref=ivn.us)) simply weren’t allowed to participate in the presidential primaries. Similarly, registered Democrats and Republicans were unable to vote for a preferred candidate outside their respective parties.

Colorado spearheaded efforts to challenge the two-party control of elections with Propositions 107 and 108, which allow independent voters to participate in partisan primaries. On Tuesday, voters passed the two initiatives, finally giving a voice to the state’s 1.3 million unaffiliated voters. Prop 107 concerns the presidential primary, and Prop 108 addresses state and federal party primaries, like governor or U.S. senator.

While a majority of voters from each party say they favor open primaries and caucuses, some elected officials worry about people disaffiliating for the sole purpose of negatively influencing the primaries. A party-affiliated voter could intentionally pick a weaker candidate for the opposing party, for instance.

According to Open Primaries, a nonprofit organization that advocates for open nonpartisan primary systems, primary reform is focused on equal participation and voter empowerment – not party advantage. Open Primaries Senior VP Jeremy Gruber said in a[ press release](http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161109006146/en/Colorado-Vote-Passes-Primary-Reform-Initiatives-Vote?ref=ivn.us) Wednesday, “Americans are angry and tired of the kind of establishment politics that divides us up between the political parties. We need a new way forward, and that starts by bringing thoughtful Republicans, Democrats and independents together to reclaim our democracy for ALL the people.”

With a[ reported](http://www.apnorc.org/projects/Pages/HTML%20Reports/the-frustrated-public-americans-views-of-the-election-issue-brief.aspx?ref=ivn.us) 9 in 10 Americans lacking confidence in the country's political system, much of the country hopes to see changes in the process moving forward.

*Photo Credit: [vepar5](https://www.shutterstock.com/g/vepar5?ref=ivn.us) / [shutterstock.com](https://www.shutterstock.com/?ref=ivn.us)*