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

Published: 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. 

You Might Also Like

Trump sitting in the oval office with a piece of paper with a cannabis leaf on his desk.
Is Trump About to Outflank Democrats on Cannabis? Progressives Sound the Alarm
As President Donald Trump signals renewed interest in reclassifying cannabis from a Schedule I drug to Schedule III, a policy goal long championed by liberals and libertarians, the reaction among some partisan progressive advocates is not celebration, but concern....
08 Dec, 2025
-
5 min read
Malibu, California.
From the Palisades to Simi Valley, Independent Voters Poised to Decide the Fight to Replace Jacqui Irwin
The coastline that defines California’s mythology begins here. From Malibu’s winding cliffs to the leafy streets of Brentwood and Bel Air, through Topanga Canyon and into the valleys of Calabasas, Agoura Hills, and Thousand Oaks, the 42nd Assembly District holds some of the most photographed, most coveted, and most challenged terrain in the state. ...
10 Dec, 2025
-
6 min read
Ranked choice voting
Ranked Choice for Every Voter? New Bill Would Transform Every Congressional Election by 2030
As voters brace for what is expected to be a chaotic and divisive midterm election cycle, U.S. Representatives Jamie Raskin (Md.), Don Beyer (Va.), and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (Vt.) have re-introduced legislation that would require ranked choice voting (RCV) for all congressional primaries and general elections beginning in 2030....
10 Dec, 2025
-
3 min read