Political commentator and media personality Michael Smerconish delivered a statement in July 2025 as the lead plaintiff in a legal case. We have included an excerpt of his statement below. See who else has has supported our effort on our Endorsements page.
I’m one of the 43 percent of Americans who according to Gallup, self-identify not as Republicans or Democrats, but as independent voters. There are more than one million such registered voters here in Pennsylvania and yet, we don’t have a say in primary elections even though our tax dollars are being used to stage such contests.
I believe that is a violation of my rights under the Free and Equal Election Clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution (“[e]lections shall be free and equal; and no power, civil or military, shall at any time interfere to prevent the free exercise of the right of suffrage.”) because the applicable 1937 law doesn’t treat independent voters’ votes equally with those of party registrants.
Which is why I’m proud to be one of the four independent voters (including David Thornburgh, Chairman of Ballot PA Action) who are seeking relief via King’s Bench jurisdiction from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.