Let America Vote Act Would Allow 23.5M Independents to Vote In Primaries

Last week, a bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives unveiled a bill to end closed primaries for federal offices. The Let America Vote Act, sponsored by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jared Golden (D-ME), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), would require all states to allow independent voters to participate in taxpayer-funded primary elections for president, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House. The bill would also provide financial incentives to states to go further and enfranchise independents in primaries for state and local offices.

Currently, 22 states hold closed presidential primaries or caucuses, and 15 states have closed congressional primaries. The Let America Vote Act would enfranchise 23.5 million independents in presidential primaries (and 15.7 million in congressional primaries), granting them the same voting rights as registered Democrats and Republicans. (See the table below for a state-by-state breakdown.)

The passage of the Let America Vote Act would be both a welcomed reform for democracy and a change desired by the very independents currently left out of consequential primaries. In January, Unite America commissioned a poll of registered independents from closed primary states that found:

• 87% support opening primaries to independent voters;
  
• 77% believe it is unfair that they cannot vote in taxpayer-funded primaries;
  
• 58% would be more likely to vote for a party that supports independents’ right to vote in primaries, indicating that the parties have something to gain by embracing open primaries.
  

It’s not just independent voters who believe primaries should be open to voters not registered with a major party. A national poll of registered voters, commissioned by Unite America last year, found that 91% agree with the principle that “all eligible voters, regardless of party, should have the freedom to vote for any candidate they desire in every taxpayer-funded election.”

Unfortunately, that principle is not reflected in our current election system. A good first step toward changing this reality? Enfranchise all independents in primary elections by passing the Let America Vote Act.