While there are many forces fueling polarization and dysfunction in America, we are focused on addressing the biggest, solvable problem: partisan primaries.
We’ve coined this The Primary Problem.
Despite tens of millions of voters casting ballots in the 2022 general election, a staggering 359 of 435 U.S. House seats were effectively decided months before the general election by just 8% of voters nationwide.
Despite the fact that over 100 million Americans will likely vote in the 2024 general election, a staggering number of U.S. Representatives will have already been effectively elected in low turnout primaries.
Read Unite America Institute's full analysis of the 2024 Primary Problem.
To combat uncompetitive, unrepresentative elections that fuel polarization, states should replace partisan primaries with nonpartisan primaries. All candidates run in the same primary — in which all voters can participate — and the top finishers advance to the general election. Whoever earns majority support wins.
In 2022, Alaska made history by implementing top-four nonpartisan primaries and instant runoff general elections: an innovative system that gives greater choice and voice to voters, and produces better representation and political incentives. The power in the reform lies in not just who is elected, but how they're elected.
The Primary Solution in Alaska
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Laoreet ullamcorper euismod consectetur enim quis nunc. Porttitor volutpat commodo pharetra tristique. Lorem sed ut dui ut. Egestas sed quis dolor posuere vel lectus. Quis felis massa ac eu
Read Case StudyThe Primary Solution in Alaska
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Laoreet ullamcorper euismod consectetur enim quis nunc. Porttitor volutpat commodo pharetra tristique. Lorem sed ut dui ut. Egestas sed quis dolor posuere vel lectus. Quis felis massa ac eu
Read Case StudyThe Primary Solution in Alaska
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Laoreet ullamcorper euismod consectetur enim quis nunc. Porttitor volutpat commodo pharetra tristique. Lorem sed ut dui ut. Egestas sed quis dolor posuere vel lectus. Quis felis massa ac eu
Read Case StudyFour states are the furthest along the road to solving the Primary Problem: Alaska, California, Louisiana, and Washington have replaced partisan primaries with nonpartisan primaries.
In states that hold nonpartisan primaries, turnout and electoral competition regularly exceed the national average. See below for the primary system in each state.
From Unite America’s executive director, Nick Troiano, The Primary Solution describes how to fix the biggest solvable problem in American politics today: partisan primaries.
The Primary Solution is available for order at Simon & Schuster. Get your copy today! All proceeds benefit Unite America.