Virtual Discussion: The Growing Demand to Give Voters Equal Access to Elections

image
Created: 19 Jan, 2023
1 min read

The nonpartisan reform group Open Primaries hosted a virtual discussion Wednesday to talk about the growing demand for primary reform that gives all voters, regardless of political affiliation, an equal and meaningful say in elections.

According to Open Primaries, local movements to reform the primaries have emerged in over a dozen states -- states that limit or completely restrict primary ballot access to members of the Republican and Democratic Parties. As over 90% of elected officials sit in safe seats, these primary elections ultimately decide who wins most races. Yet, millions of voters are denied an opportunity to select who they want to represent them.

Voters can expect to see primary reform on the ballot in 2024.

Open Primaries' discussion, hosted by group president John Opdycke, featured Margaret Kobos of Oklahoma United for Progress, Michael Calcagno of All Oregon Votes, Joe Kirby of South Dakota Open Primaries, and Steve Goldstein of Save Democracy AZ. All of these leaders are working to bring better elections to their respective states.

Watch the full discussion above. 

Latest articles

Votes
MERGER: The Organization that Brought Ranked Choice Voting and Ended SuperPACs in Maine Joins California’s Nonpartisan Primary Pioneers
The Chamberlain Project, an organization I co-founded with Peter Ackerman a decade ago, has been dissolved. The Chamberlain Boards have voted to combine all of Chamberlain’s associated entities, including Americans Elect, Level the Playing Field, the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting, and Citizens to End SuperPACs, with the Foundation for Independent Voter Education (FIVE),...
23 Jan, 2025
-
12 min read
press badges and credentials
To Help Heal Division, We Must Cut "The Media" Some Slack
Donald Trump will be inaugurated in a few days. In his second term, just as in his first, he’ll likely spark passionate disagreements about news media: what is “fake news” and what isn’t, which media sources should be trusted and which should be doubted....
23 Jan, 2025
-
4 min read
American flag on a bridge.
'We the People' Must Take Action to Address Our Colossal Challenges
Long before I moved to the United States from rural Greece and ever heard the phrase “we the people,” I grew up with a constant and clear illustration of the power of community. Although “we the people” wasn’t a phrase that translated into Greek, it was one of the cornerstones of Greek society....
23 Jan, 2025
-
4 min read