Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt: 'Open Primaries Aren't a Weird, Foreign Concept'

vote
Photo by Phil Scoggs on Unsplash.
Created: 01 Oct, 2024
2 min read

Photo by Phil Scroggs on Unsplash

 

In a new video posted by the nonpartisan primary reform group Open Primaries, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt discusses his support for an open primary system in which all candidates have to make their case to all registered voters, regardless of party.

"Open primaries aren't a weird, foreign concept," he said. 

Holt contrasted the incentive structure of a nonpartisan primary system used in many cities across the country and in states like Alaska and California to a partisan primary system, like the closed system in Oklahoma. 

"People always look at Oklahoma City and Tulsa and they say, 'For whatever successes or failures you have, gosh it sure seems like you are electing mayors that unify people, that seem competent, that are well liked across the political spectrum,' and it's not magic," says Holt.

He adds that perceptions of elected leaders in Oklahoma's two largest cities versus those of state and federal leadership directly trace back to how voters elect people.

Holt further explained:

IVP Donate

"In Oklahoma City and Tulsa, we have basically a nonpartisan top two -- you can call it a jungle primary, you can call it any number of things, you can call it a unified primary -- but the reality is it has two principles that I think are critical."

The first principle is "every voter gets to see all the candidates," regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof. The second principle is "all of the candidates have to face all the voters."

Notably, the term "jungle primary" is often associated with nonpartisan primary systems in general, but it was first used to describe the nonpartisan election system in Louisiana -- which is a different system altogether.

In Louisiana, there is only a general election and while all candidates and voters participate, if a candidate gets over 50% of the vote that candidate wins the election. If not, a runoff election is held the following month.

This is different than the nonpartisan primaries used in Alaska, California, and Washington, in which the top two or top four (in Alaska) candidates advance to the general election regardless of how much of the vote they get. 

Holt added that candidates who have run in a closed partisan primary understand that to be successful in elections candidates have to appeal to "a narrower, narrower slice of the electorate."

The incentive is to govern to that shrinking group of voters.

Holt believes that most voters want to see candidates work together. He said there is an extreme minority on both sides who may make up 15% of the electorate, but 70% of voters want elected officials to get things done. 

OLAS Media

"What we have seen as a formula for success in Oklahoma City absolutely can be replicated at the state level," he said. Check out more from the conversation in the video above. 

In this article

Related articles

Welcome to New Mexico sign.
Open Primaries Were Just the Beginning -- Now New Mexico Needs A New Party to Keep Moving Forward
Editor's Note: This piece on Source NM and has been republished on IVN by request and with permissi...
06 May, 2025
-
4 min read
US Capitol Building.
There Is An Equal Voting Rights Bill In Congress No One Is Talking About
WASHINGTON, DC - There is a bill in the US House that, if passed, would ensure millions of independe...
05 May, 2025
-
3 min read
Hands holding up ballots.
Victory Achieved: NM Open Primaries Advocates Discuss Their Hard-Fought Win
Independent voters will finally have access to taxpayer-funded primary elections in New Mexico after...
05 May, 2025
-
2 min read

Latest articles

Piles of cash.
Who Really Pays for Congress? Local Donors All But Disappear in 2024
There is an old saying: All politics is local. However, many voters may get the impression this is becoming less and less a reality -- particularly in US House and Senate elections where candidates are elected to represent specific districts or states, but campaign to a national audience....
06 May, 2025
-
3 min read
Inside the Capitol Building Rotunda.
LISTEN: The Plan to Deny Both Parties a House Majority
Austen Campbell was the Deputy Finance Director for independent Senate candidate Dan Osborne, whose grassroots campaign in Nebraska turned a presumed Republican stronghold into a competitive race - scaring the GOP establishment in the process....
06 May, 2025
-
1 min read
Welcome to New Mexico sign.
Open Primaries Were Just the Beginning -- Now New Mexico Needs A New Party to Keep Moving Forward
Alaska U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski is one of the few Republicans standing up to President Trump and expressing fear that key strategic alliances, our democracy, civil liberties and the rule of law are being under-mind. She also was one of the few Republicans to vote to impeach him....
06 May, 2025
-
4 min read