For years, newspapers, civic leaders, and bipartisan voices across Pennsylvania and the nation have called for reforming the state’s closed primary system, which prevents over one million independent voters from participating in primary elections. Editorial boards, opinion writers, and former governors alike argue that opening primaries would strengthen democracy, increase voter participation, and ensure fairer representation.
Below is a collection of editorials, op-eds, and news coverage highlighting the widespread support for change and the growing momentum to give all Pennsylvania voters a voice in primaries.
Letter: Pennsylvania should change rules for primaries | April 23, 2025 (USA TODAY)
More than 1 million PA voters aren't allowed to vote in primaries. I'm one of them. | Opinion | April 17, 2025 (USA TODAY)
Pennsylvania’s closed primary system is unjust | April 10, 2025 (The Morning Call)
If candidates want independent votes, they need to repeal closed primaries | September 13, 2024 (Penn Live)
Independents will decide the election. What do we know about them? | August 20, 2024 (Trib Live)
Letter: It's time for open primaries | June 11, 2024 (PennLive)
Letter: Open up voting | April 28, 2024 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Closed Primary, Bad for Democracy: Pennsylvania’s Primary Problem | April 24, 2024 (US News & World Report)
Facts over Fear: Time for Pennsylvania to open its primaries to all | April 19, 2024 (Penn Capital-Star)
WATCH: Ballot PA Chair David Thornburgh talks the push to allow independents to vote in Pennsylvania primaries | April 7, 2024 (NBC10 Philadelphia)
Open primaries have strong bipartisan support in Pennsylvania | April 2, 2024 (PennLive)
Editorial: Every Pa. election should be contested | February 19, 2024 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
EDITORIAL: Good to see voter registration on the rise | January 10, 2024 (The Daily Item)
No place for extremism | November 30, 2023 (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Both Republicans and Democrats need to rethink their positions on independent voters | November 14, 2023 (PennLive)
Editorial: Opening primaries won't heal our politics, but it will help | October 24, 2023 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
OPINION: It’s Time to End Closed Primaries | October 17, 2023 (Haverford Clerk)
Dave Kelm: One easy way Pennsylvania can get better political leaders | October 16, 2023 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Opinion: The Disenfranchisement of Students | October 12, 2023 (The Gettysburgian)
Opening PA’s Primaries | October 6, 2023 (PCN: Pennsylvania Newsmakers)
Automatic voter registration is a win for Pennsylvanians. Now we need open primaries. | September 27, 2023 (Lancaster Online)
Former Pa. governors rally around push to open Pa.'s closed primaries | September 26, 2023 (GoErie.com)
Move the primary, and leave no voters behind | September 22, 2023 (Penn Live)
Editorial: 5 former Pa. governors agree on open primaries | September 21, 2023 (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
It’s time for Pennsylvania to open its primary elections to all voters | September 15, 2023 (Penn Capital-Star)
Editorial: Pennsylvania voters would benefit from an open primary system | September 12, 2023 (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Opinion: A million reasons to open up primaries in Pennsylvania | July 11, 2023 (City & State PA)
Jeff Greenburg: We should continue to improve Pennsylvania’s elections | June 21, 2023 (Broad + Liberty)
Who CAN’T Vote Today | May 16, 2023 (The Philadelphia Citizen)
Time for Open Primaries in Pennsylvania | May 12, 2023 (RealClear Pennsylvania)
Editorial: Get out the vote on Tuesday | May 12, 2023 (The Tribune-Democrat)
Pa.’s closed primary, state judges: Tuesday’s election is a double-dark downer | May 11, 2023 (PennLive)
Editorial: Open up primaries to give all voters a voice | May 5, 2023 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
An independent Pa. House speaker? Now let independents vote in primaries | David Thornburgh | January 8, 2023 (Penn Capital-Star)
In Pennsylvania, Independent Voters Take Center Stage | December 8, 2022 (Real Clear Pennsylvania)
Veterans should work for open primaries in Pennsylvania | September 30, 2022 (Broad + Liberty)
Bleier Calls for End to Closed Primaries | September 9, 2022 (Politics PA)
Keep an eye on the Independents this year in PA | August 31, 2022 (Beaver County Times)
Things looking up for open primaries in Pennsylvania | August 20, 2022 (Reading Eagle)
Open primaries for fairness, governance | June 6, 2022 (The Tribune Democrat)
Open primaries for fairness, governance | May 31, 2022 (The Times Tribune)
It may be time to rethink the role of the independent voter in primary elections | May 26, 2022 (City & State)
Can anything bring some normalcy to Pa. politics? Yep. - John Baer | May 26, 2022 (Penn Live)
Repeal closed primaries in Pennsylvania | May 26, 2022 (Chestnut Hill Local)
Independent voters want to be heard. Is anybody listening? | May 24, 2022 (The Fulcrum)
Opinion: Pennsylvania has a primary problem | May 21, 2022 (CNN)
Time to Give Independents a Vote | May 10, 2022 (Tri County Record)
GUEST VIEW: Pennsylvania’s closed primaries diminish democracy and encourage extremism | May 13, 2022 (The Sharon Herald)
Our View: Open primaries have our vote | May 10, 2022 (Bucks County Courier Times)
It's time for Pennsylvania to allow Independents to vote in primary | May 2, 2022 (Reading Eagle)
It's time for Pennsylvania to open its primaries | May 1, 2022 (Herald-Standard)
Opening Pa.'s primary elections would help de-radicalize politics | April 29, 2022 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
End the closed primary in PA | May 31, 2021 (GoErie)
Should Philadelphia have open primaries? | May 14, 2021 (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Primaries should be open to all | October 2, 2019 (TribLive)
Voting changes in Pennsylvania | October 2, 2019 (The River Reporter)
Time to open the primaries in Pennsylvania | May 17, 2019 (PennLive)
Open Pennsylvania’s primaries to all voters | May 15, 2019 (Reading Eagle)
Open Pa.'s primaries to unaffiliated voters | May 13, 2019 (York Dispatch)
Fair primaries | May 6, 2019 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Amending primary election code in Pennsylvania is long overdue | November 30, 2018 (Sentinel)
Political empowerment starts with open primaries | November 9, 2018 (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Open Pennsylvania Primaries to Unaffiliated Voters | September 30, 2018 (Express-Times)
Open primary a good idea | September 25, 2018 (Citizens' Voice)
Independent voters should be allowed to vote in Pa. primaries | June 3, 2018 (Observer-Reporter)
Let's open primaries to all, and watch real change happen | May 25, 2018 (Philadelphia Inquirer)
It's time for PA to finally switch to open primaries | May 25, 2018 (Patriot News)
Ideas We Should Steal: Open Primary Voting | September 16, 2015 (The Philadelphia Citizen)
Some changes needed to entice PA voters to vote | June 5, 2015 (Daily Local News)
Pa. should open primaries to all voters | May 23, 2014 (Mercury)