Pennsylvania is one of only nine states with a fully closed primary system which means that only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans can vote for candidates on the primary ballot. Pennsylvania’s closed primary elections shut out over one million Pennsylvania registered voters, who are unaffiliated with a political party, from having a say in a critical part of the electoral process. Closed primaries put the parties in charge and force candidates to play to the most partisan base rather than providing incentives for collaboration and outside-the-box solutions. The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania supports abandoning the closed primary system in favor of either the semi-open or open primary and is an active participant of the Open Primaries PA Coalition.
Please join the League of Women Voters of Bucks County for a virtual discussion about Pennsylvania’s closed primaries and why they should become open.
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