Editorials

Readers React: Let unaffiliated voters participate in primaries | October 9, 2019 (The Morning Call). - The column supporting Senate Bill 300 regarding unaffiliated voters is right on. It is time to allow registered voters who don’t care for any party to vote in the primaries.

Pennsylvania’s closed primaries | October 9, 2019 (Williamsport Sun-Gazette). - It’s time for Pennsylvania to join the 21st century...

Primaries should be open to all | October 2, 2019 (TribLive). - In a Penn Township, Westmoreland County, precinct, a woman stood confused as she looked at her ballot...

Voting changes in Pennsylvania | October 2, 2019 (The River Reporter). - There are a few changes coming to voting in Pennsylvania that may help make it easier for state residents to vote...

Former PA party heads say independent voters deserve a voice in primaries | October 1, 2019 (PennLive). - As the Pennsylvania General Assembly heads back to Harrisburg to take up the commonwealth’s business, a priority for their fall agenda should be passing Senate Bill 300. 

Vote in Tuesday's municipal primary — and be thankful you can (because unaffiliated voters can't) | May 19, 2019 (LNP) - A bill by Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson County, would allow unaffiliated voters to choose on primary election day to vote with the Democrats or Republicans...

Time to open the primaries in Pennsylvania | May 17, 2019 (PennLive) - Polls open on Tuesday. But more than 1.2 million independent and third-party Pennsylvanians will not be voting.

Open Pennsylvania’s primaries to all voters | May 15, 2019 (Reading Eagle) - Since we all pay taxes, we should have an equal say in the electoral process...

Open Pa.'s primaries to unaffiliated voters | May 13, 2019 (York Dispatch) - What’s this? Pennsylvania lawmakers acknowledging a potential weakness in the state’s voting laws and moving to do something about it?...It’s true, it’s legitimate and it’s welcome...

Fair primaries | May 6, 2019 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) - I’m an independent voter ... or, at least, I’d like to be. But this primary on May 21, I’ll just be an Independent — I won’t get to vote...

Amending primary election code in Pennsylvania is long overdue | November 30, 2018 (Sentinel) - Pennsylvania is one of nine states conducting closed primary elections. While that format can strengthen party affiliation, it also lets the two major parties dominate the political spectrum and debate...

Political empowerment starts with open primaries | November 9, 2018 (Philadelphia Inquirer) - Philadelphia is where I was born and grew up, amid the underground subeconomy of poverty in South Philly's black community. I know something about feeling trapped...

Open Pennsylvania Primaries to Unaffiliated Voters | September 30, 2018 (Express-Times) - Lawmakers returning to Harrisburg this month were greeted with a load of unfinished business...

Open primary a good idea | September 25, 2018 (Citizens' Voice) - There is an element of political math to state Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati’s assertion that unaffiliated voters should be allowed to vote in primary elections...

Independent voters should be allowed to vote in Pa. primaries | June 3, 2018 (Observer-Reporter) - Independent voters had nothing to do with Brandon Neuman getting a seat on Washington County’s Court of Common Pleas last year...

Leaders in Pennsylvania General Assembly wisely move toward opening primary elections to independents | May 30, 2018 (LNP) - Republican leaders in the GOP-controlled General Assembly are “pushing legislation that would allow the more than 700,000 Pennsylvania voters not affiliated with either major political party to participate in primaries...

Let's open primaries to all, and watch real change happen | May 25, 2018 (Philadelphia Inquirer) - Calcified lawmakers in Harrisburg rarely do anything that could remotely hinder their safe reelection...

It's time for PA to finally switch to open primaries | May 25, 2018 (Patriot News) - Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati has had an epiphany. And we think he should run with it...

Some changes needed to entice PA voters to vote | June 5, 2015 (Daily Local News) - In last month’s primary election, voter turnout in Chester County was 12.2 percent of the registered 322,060 voters...

Pa. should open primaries to all voters | May 23, 2014 (Mercury) - Once again, a primary election has passed, and once again, thousands of voters were excluded from participating in the democratic process...

Press Releases

PA Primary Moved to June 2, but 1.2 Million Voters Still Shut Out | March 27, 2020 - As we continue to address the COVID-19 crisis, and ask how we can make voting this election season accessible, safe, and accurate, we must also begin to ask, "What about those of us who can't vote at all?" It is incumbent upon us all to address that critical question in the months to come.

All Voters Vote in HD 190 Special Election | February 25, 2020 - Open Primaries PA is calling attention to the stark contrast in voter access between today’s special election in West Philadelphia’s state House District 190 and the upcoming presidential primary on April 28.

Open Primaries Legislation Approved by the Pennsylvania Senate | June 25, 2019 - The Senate approved with overwhelming bipartisan support (42-8) a landmark bill that would allow 785,000 independent Pennsylvanians to vote in primary elections...

Open Primaries Legislation Advances in the Senate | June 18, 2019 - Legislation that would allow 785,000 independent Pennsylvanians to vote in spring primary elections took another step forward today...

Primary Reform Picks Up Traction Ahead of May 21 Primary | May 20, 2019 - Calls for reforming Pennsylvania's primary system have continued to grow over the past year...

Open Primaries PA to Press for Independents’ Right to Vote | April 29, 2019 - A new statewide coalition -- Open Primaries PA -- launched with the mission of opening Pennsylvania’s primary process to include independent voters across the Commonwealth...

News Coverage

A push is on to open Pennsylvania primary elections to all voters, not just Democrats and Republicans | May 22, 2019 (PennLive) - Pennsylvania’s primary elections aren’t open to all voters. In Tuesday’s primary elections, only those registered as Republicans or Democrats could cast ballots...

These two party bosses used to oppose open primaries. Now, they’re all in | May 1, 2019 (Pennsylvania Capital-Star) - Alan Novak spent eight years as the chairman of Pennsylvania’s Republican Party, trying to secure votes for GOP candidates across the state...

Good-government groups join forces to push open primaries to top of Pennsylvania’s reform agenda || April 30, 2019 (Pennsylvania Capital Star) - A coalition made up of several good-government groups is trying to push a controversial piece of election reform to the top of the Legislature’s agenda: open primaries...

Some changes needed to entice PA voters to vote | June 5, 2015 (Daily Local News) - In last month’s primary election, voter turnout in Chester County was 12.2 percent of the registered 322,060 voters...

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