Why open our primaries?
Our primary system is old and dysfunctional.
We’re one of the few remaining states with a fully closed primary.
FAIRNESS: Over 1.35 million voters in Oregon are barred from voting in closed partisan primaries. That’s 44% of the electorate that’s shut out — and their numbers are growing.
PUBLIC FUNDING: Primary elections are publicly funded and administered. No Oregonian should be required to join a political party in order to vote for candidates in a public election.
VOTER CHOICE: Voters want to be able to choose from among all the candidates. Our closed partisan primaries don't allow that.
BETTER ACCOUNTABILITY: Elected officials perform better when competition is increased and they are incentivized to listen to their entire constituencies, not just partisan primary voters.
Our primary system is old and dysfunctional.
We’re one of the few remaining states with a fully closed primary.
FAIRNESS: Over 1.35 million voters in Oregon are barred from voting in closed partisan primaries. That’s 44% of the electorate that’s shut out — and their numbers are growing.
PUBLIC FUNDING: Primary elections are publicly funded and administered. No Oregonian should be required to join a political party in order to vote for candidates in a public election.
VOTER CHOICE: Voters want to be able to choose from among all the candidates. Our closed partisan primaries don't allow that.
BETTER ACCOUNTABILITY: Elected officials perform better when competition is increased and they are incentivized to listen to their entire constituencies, not just partisan primary voters.
|
Non-affiliated voters (NAVs) are the largest voting bloc in 21 of Oregon’s 36 counties: Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Deschutes, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lincoln, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Morrow, Polk, Tillamook, Umatilla, Wasco, Washington and Yamhill. Non-affiliated voters (NAVs) are the largest voting bloc in 5 of Oregon's 6 Congressional Districts: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Districts |
Why this reform? What are the benefits?
- Non-affiliated and third-party voices will be heard, because all voters will be included in both primary and general elections. It will make our government more representative of the diversity of our state across all ages, races, genders, and regions.
- Elected officials will need to build coalitions that represent many interests and diverse people to get things done. They will need to be accountable to broad coalitions of voters, because candidates who are opposed by a majority of voters can never win under the new system.
- The reform will help reduce the excessive power that special interest, major donors, and partisan insiders and operatives have on our government, because ordinary people will have more choices and more freedom to choose who they think should represent them, and the winner will reflect the choice of a majority of voters. It will protect major party candidates from having to cater to the far right or far left in their parties.
- The reform will help restore our democracy to the type of system that our founders wanted, with coalition and consensus building to get things done, not just major parties dominating.
- Since the two major parties control primary elections, fundraising, and even candidate positions on the issues, many highly qualified people with independent ideas and records of accomplishment now decide not to run. Barriers will be removed:
- There will no longer be a one-candidate-per-party limit on who advances to the general election ballot.
- Voter participation will likely increase, because elections will be more competitive and every vote will count.
- There will no longer be a one-candidate-per-party limit on who advances to the general election ballot.
- Elections in our state will become more competitive, because there will be higher turnout in the open primaries and more candidates on the ballots, and politicians will need to secure the support of a majority of voters.