A survey of 1,141 registered voters finds broad support for open primaries, and structural barriers keeping voters out
A national survey conducted by the Independent Center asked 1,141 registered voters about their familiarity with, and attitudes toward, open primary elections. Key findings include:
- 72.5% of respondents said they support a system where all candidates appear on one primary ballot and any registered voter can participate, regardless of party. Only 13.5% opposed the idea.
- Among those who did not participate in a recent primary, 28.3% said they were registered with a different party than the primary being held, and 16% said their state's primary was closed to unaffiliated voters. That means nearly 44% of nonparticipants were effectively excluded by the rules.
- 50.8% of respondents said open primaries would make them more likely to vote in primaries.
- 52.3% said they would vote for the candidate from any party who best represents their views, rather than defaulting to a candidate from their registered party.
- Asked why open primary reform hasn't spread more widely, the most common answer, cited by 23.8%, was that the two major parties actively block reform to protect their power.
Read the full analysis: The People Are Ready for Open Primaries. The Parties Are the Problem.
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