Next Tuesday, more than 1.3 million Pennsylvanians will be shut out of critical primary elections for local offices — from mayor to district attorney to school board to judicial races — for one simple reason: they chose to register as independents. That means more than a million taxpayers in the state are helping pay for elections they’re not even allowed to participate in.
This isn’t just a Pennsylvania problem — it’s a national one. Pennsylvania is one of 16 states with closed party primaries. Unite America defines a closed primary as a primary where independents don't have a guaranteed right to vote. Across those 16 states, 16.6 million independents lack full voting rights.
Perhaps the most high-profile race on Tuesday is the Democratic primary for Philadelphia District Attorney. Because Philly is overwhelmingly Democratic, the party primary will effectively determine the city’s next top prosecutor – it is essentially the only election that matters (in a reflection of how uncompetitive the general election will be, no Republican will even appear on the ballot).
As a result, nearly 300,000 people in Philadelphia — including Republicans, independents, and minor party voters — won’t have a say in electing their district attorney. That’s more than a quarter of the city’s 1.1 million registered voters who are being denied the chance to cast a meaningful vote. That is, a vote that actually matters in determining the outcome of an election.
This is just one example of the Primary Problem. In most of our elections, a small, partisan sliver of the electorate decides the outcomes that affect us all.
The good news? It’s fixable.
Right now, a bipartisan bill in the Pennsylvania Legislature would give independent voters the right to vote in primary elections — where most races are decided. In 2024, 76% of Pennsylvania’s congressional races and 94% of state House races were effectively decided in primaries that were closed to independents.
Pennsylvania has a chance to follow the lead of states like Maine (which passed open primaries in 2021) and New Mexico (which did the same just last month). And it’s about time: independent voters are the fastest-growing segment of the electorate. Over the past decade, Pennsylvanians registered as independent or “other” have grown by more than 308,000 people, according to state voter registration archives. In general elections, independents routinely swing statewide outcomes.
It’s simple: every eligible voter deserves the freedom to vote in every publicly funded election. And not only should every vote count, but more votes should actually matter in determining election outcomes. Open primaries will give every Pennsylvanian, regardless of party, the opportunity to cast a meaningful vote.
Learn more about Pennsylvania’s new open primaries bill here, and explore how open primaries can make more votes meaningful.
