American voters are frustrated. They're frustrated with politicians who play to their base instead of solving problems. They're frustrated with a Congress that can't get things done. They're frustrated with a primary system that shuts millions of voters out and rewards extremism over governance.
And now, for the first time in a long time, voters across party lines agree on something: open primaries are the solution.
A recent national survey from RealClear Opinion Research, sponsored by Unite America, surveyed 1,500 registered voters and found sweeping cross-partisan support for opening primary elections to all voters — along with a clear-eyed diagnosis of what's gone wrong with American democracy. The results are striking, not just for what they show about public opinion on open primaries, but for what they reveal about how Americans across the political spectrum are thinking about the health of their democracy heading into 2026.
Here's what the data shows — and what it means for independent voters.
The State of American Democracy: Voters Are Worried
Before getting to open primaries specifically, it's worth understanding the broader context the poll captures. American voters are not feeling good about the state of their democracy or their government.
A majority of voters — 53% — describe the current state of American democracy as "weak." Only 40% consider it "strong." That's a striking finding on its own. But it's even more significant when you understand what voters think is driving that weakness.
When asked what contributes most to political division in the United States, voters pointed to a familiar cast of culprits — politicians themselves (84%), social media (82%), and news media (81%). But structural factors also ranked high: 62% said gerrymandering contributes to political division, and 59% said party primaries contribute to it.
That last number is especially important. Nearly six in ten voters believe the primary election system itself is a driver of the polarization and dysfunction they're experiencing. That's not a fringe position — it's a majority view held across party lines.
And voters aren't just diagnosing the problem abstractly. When presented with the reality that 399 of 435 House seats are considered "safe" for one party or the other — meaning the primary election, not the general election, is where those races are actually decided — 81% said that was a problem. The implications are significant: in most of the country, a small, highly partisan slice of the electorate is effectively choosing who represents everyone.
Congress Isn't Working. Voters Know It.
The frustration extends directly to Congress and its ability to address the issues Americans actually care about.
Seven in ten voters — 70% — say Congress is not effectively addressing America's biggest problems, including the cost of living, immigration, and healthcare. Only 20% think Congress is doing an effective job on these issues.
The disconnect between what voters want and what they're getting from their elected representatives is captured even more starkly in how voters view representation itself. Only 29% say Congress represents the American people well. A full 66% say Congress does not represent them well — including 37% who say it does not represent them well "at all."
That sense of being unrepresented gets worse with age. Among voters 70 and older, 78% say Congress does not represent the American people well. Even among young voters ages 18-29, 52% feel unrepresented — a troubling signal about how the next generation is experiencing American democracy.
When asked why candidates seem so disconnected from the people they represent, voters offer a clear theory: 53% believe political candidates play to the base of their party rather than trying to appeal to a majority of voters. Only 34% think candidates genuinely try to represent the full range of people in their district.
That's the primary problem in plain language. When the system rewards base mobilization over broad appeal, candidates are incentivized to perform for their most partisan supporters — not to govern for everyone else.
Independent Voters Are Being Heard — And They're Not Satisfied
For independent voters specifically, the polling paints a picture of a group that is engaged, frustrated, and hungry for meaningful change.
A substantial 62% of all voters say they wish there were more viable independent candidate choices on the ballot. Among independent voters themselves, that number climbs to 77%. Nearly four out of five independent voters want more options — a clear signal that the current two-party, closed-primary system is failing to meet their needs.
On the question of primary elections themselves, voters are split but trending toward reform: 52% think primary elections are broken and need to change, while 48% think they are working fine. That's a near-majority calling for reform — and a number that's likely to grow as awareness of the primary problem increases.
Perhaps most tellingly, 55% of voters rate party registration requirements that bar independent voters from participating in primary elections as a "major problem." Another 30% view it as a "minor problem." Only 16% consider it no problem at all. Add it up and 85% of American voters see the exclusion of independent voters from primaries as at least some level of problem — a remarkable consensus that cuts across party lines.
The Open Primaries Solution: Voters Are On Board
Against this backdrop of frustration with polarization, congressional dysfunction, and primary system failures, the poll asked voters about open primaries — and found overwhelming support.
71% of voters support requiring states to hold open primaries, where all voters can participate in primary elections regardless of party registration. Only 20% oppose open primaries.
The support is broad and consistent across partisan lines:
- 79% of Democrats support open primaries
- 70% of independents support open primaries
- 65% of Republicans support open primaries
This is genuinely rare in American politics today. Finding a policy position that commands majority support among Democrats, independents, and Republicans simultaneously is extraordinarily difficult in the current climate. Open primaries do it — and not by narrow margins. These are supermajority levels of support across all three groups.
When voters were asked which reforms they think would most effectively reduce political polarization, open primaries topped the list. Forty-five percent identified opening party primaries to all voters and candidates as the most effective reform — more than prohibiting partisan gerrymandering (41%), making Election Day a national holiday (38%), or repealing Citizens United (26%).
Voters also have a clear philosophical view of what primaries are for. When presented with two competing visions, 65% agreed that "primary elections are how all voters winnow down the number of candidates for the general election, so all voters — including independents — should be able to vote in primaries." Only 35% agreed with the counter-position that primaries are a party nomination process and should be restricted to party members.
That 65-35 split reflects something important: most Americans don't think of primaries as a party's internal business. They think of them as a public election — and they believe the public should be able to vote in them.
What Voters Expect Open Primaries to Deliver
The poll didn't just ask whether voters support open primaries — it asked what they think open primaries would actually accomplish. The results are encouraging for election reform advocates.
73% of voters agree that open primaries would lead to better candidates who appeal to a majority of voters, not just their party base.
72% of voters agree that open primaries would produce a Congress better able to tackle the big problems Americans care about — including the cost of living, immigration, and healthcare.
63% of voters agree that open primaries would lead to reduced political division.
These aren't just abstract preferences. Voters are connecting open primaries directly to the concrete outcomes they want: a Congress that functions, candidates who represent them, and a political system that is less divisive and more responsive.
Alternative Primary Models Also Have Strong Support
The poll also tested support for specific open primary models beyond the general concept — and found consistent enthusiasm.
Six in ten voters support "top two" primary elections — a system in which all candidates from all parties appear on a single primary ballot, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the general election regardless of party affiliation. This is the model currently used in California and Washington state.
62% support Alaska's "top four" system — a variation in which the top four candidates advance to the general election, where ranked-choice voting determines the winner. Only 23% oppose this model.
These numbers signal that support for open primaries isn't just vague sentiment — it holds up even when voters understand specific structural details of how different systems work.
Low Primary Turnout: Another Crisis Voters Recognize
The poll also captured widespread concern about primary turnout — or the lack of it.
64% of voters consider low midterm turnout in primary elections to be a major problem. Another 25% consider it a minor problem. Only 11% say it's not a problem.
This matters because low primary turnout compounds every other problem in the system. When only a small, highly partisan slice of the electorate votes in primaries, candidates are selected by a group that doesn't represent the full population. The result is a Congress that is systematically more extreme than the electorate it represents — and structurally incapable of the compromise and governance that most Americans are asking for.
Open primaries address turnout directly. When more voters are eligible to participate, more voters do participate. When the pool of primary voters expands to include independents and others currently excluded, the candidates who emerge are more likely to reflect the full range of public opinion rather than just the ideological edges of each party.
What This Means for Independent Voters in 2026
If you're an independent voter heading into the 2026 election cycle, this polling offers both a diagnosis and a reason for hope.
The diagnosis is clear: the primary system as currently structured is failing you. It's excluding tens of millions of voters from the most consequential elections, producing candidates who appeal to partisan bases rather than the full electorate, and generating a Congress that most Americans agree is not representing them well.
The reason for hope is equally clear: the American public — across party lines, across age groups, across ideological divides — agrees with you. They see the primary problem. They want open primaries. They believe reform would produce better candidates and better governance. And the numbers are not close.
At the Independent Center, we believe this data reflects something deep and important about where the American electorate actually is: ready for reform, hungry for representation, and far ahead of the politicians who are supposed to serve them.
The question now is whether the political system will catch up.
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