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New Poll Finds Florida independents and Democrats Strongly in Favor of the Democratic Party Opening its Primary
Political parties have the legal right to open their primaries to independent voters, and Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried has been publicly debating <[link removed]> the idea for months. Ironic, considering the party played a leading role in opposing a ballot initiative for open primaries in 2020 that still gained 57% of the vote with few resources spent. But the party's fortunes have since deteriorated and Fried understands she needs the state’s 3.4 million independent voters that are currently shut out of the state’s closed primaries.
Now a new poll of Florida independents and Democrats finds not only overwhelming support for such a move but continued and broad support for primary reform generally.
The poll <[link removed]>, conducted by Florida Open Primarie <[link removed]>s in conjunction with Open Primaries and our Let Us Vote campaign <[link removed]>, asked 1,310 Florida voters (684 independents and 626 Democrats) their views on several key aspects of Florida's closed primary and the Democratic Party’s debate on opening their primary.
Florida Open Primaries leaders are trumpeting the poll <[link removed]>:
The poll is grabbing headlines <[link removed]> across the Sunshine State and FLOP is launching a campaign to take their findings to the Party. And they’re not just asking Fried to open the Democratic Party primary but to acknowledge past sins and embrace primary reform more generally with comprehensive legislation. Stay tuned for updates on their progress.
Don’t Let the GOP Turn Texas Into New York
As we reported earlier, the Republican Party of Texas has filed a federal lawsuit <[link removed]> against Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson in a bid to restrict participation in the GOP’s primary elections to only voters registered with the party.
Now, in a feature piece for the Austin-American Statesman <[link removed]>, OP SVP Jeremy Gruber warns voters in the Lone Star State that would be a serious mistake.
If Texans value their independence he declares, they should reject the corrupt insularity that has driven Democratic Party leaders in New York to embrace closed primaries. <[link removed]>
As he cautions:
Open Primaries is working more broadly to organize a legal response in Texas. Stay tuned for more details.
Maryland’s Closed Primary Gets its FIrst Day in Court
Open Primaries lawsuit on behalf of the voting rights of 5 independent Marylanders shut out of voting in the state’s closed primaries is progressing. The MD AG’s office has filed a motion to dismiss, a standard move, and we are going to a hearing at the end of the month. Just yesterday, Maryland Matters came out with updated coverage of our suit. <[link removed]>
The case has also become a key component of a new litigation platform that Open Primaries is building, partnering with attorneys and firms across the country to challenge closed primaries in other states. So far, we are supporting state constitutional challenges in Pennsylvania, Oregon and Wyoming and a federal constitutional claim that has gone to conference on a cert. petition to the US Supreme Court. You can read our amicus brief to the Supreme Court <[link removed]>here where we lay out the fundamental questions on the rights of independent voters that American courts need to address
Our litigation platform has already drawn more media attention this year than all other activities and issues across the reform movement combined. OP SVP Jeremy Gruber recently participated in a long form debate on CNN <[link removed]> that we encourage you to watch and share.
Additional key coverage includes: Washington Post <[link removed]>, Baltimore Sun <[link removed]>, U.S. News and World Report <[link removed]>, and the P <[link removed]>hiladelphia Inquirer. <[link removed]>
Read on to sign up for our next Virtual Discussion-Taking Open Primaries To Court <[link removed]> where leading attorneys will discuss the role of litigation in change politics and how getting into court could transform the primary reform movement.
Political Reform Begins With Trust
A new Times–Siena poll <[link removed]> has arrived with a familiar refrain: Most American voters believe the United States is too politically divided to solve problems.
The poll found that 64 percent of registered voters think the country’s sharp divisions means we cannot solve political problems, while 33 percent say the political system still gets the job done. This is a huge jump from September 2020, when 42 percent thought the nation was too divided to solve its problems.
The poll also found significant shifts in terms of what Americans see as the country’s biggest problems as well, with political polarization and the state of our democracy topping the list for the first time.
Should be fertile ground for reform right? Maybe. The biggest takeaway of the poll is the loss of voter trust across the board and no reform campaign can be successful without it.
A successful reform campaign begins long before a bill is introduced or a ballot initiative begins gathering signatures. Having the trust of voters requires you to be honest with them. No more so than when you’re asking them to change the rules of the game.
OP President John Opdycke <[link removed]> and SVP Jeremy Gruber <[link removed]> have both written and spoken extensively about building trust.
Now Veterans for All Voters <[link removed]> Montana state leader David Oclander is writing extensively about it as well in his compelling substack column. Check it out. <[link removed]>
Oklahoma Campaign Is On A Roll
The Yes on 836 campaign <[link removed]> has spent the last 11 days speaking to hundreds of voters about open primaries and signing up dozens of volunteers at the Tulsa State Fair for their upcoming signature gathering drive.
Check out their highlight reel:
<[link removed]>Support is continuing to flock to the campaign, which has already amassed an impressive list of Republican, as well as Democratic and independent supporters.
Check out this great commentary from an independent veteran the campaign recruited:
<[link removed]>The OK SOS has greenlighted the campaign <[link removed]> to begin gathering signatures to get on the 2026 ballot starting October 29th and they only have a 90 day window to do it. You can support the campaign HERE. <[link removed]>
Open Primaries has been a staunch partner of the campaign from its inception-we’ll keep you updated on its progress.
From Women's Suffrage through the Civil Rights era to the modern day, the history of voting rights in the United States is intertwined with litigation, which (whether successful, unsuccessful or even pursued short of a final verdict) has served as a crucial catalyst in the evolution of our democracy.
Attorneys in multiple states are challenging closed primaries and the disenfranchisement of independent voters including a pending federal case before the US Supreme Court and state constitutional challenges in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Wyoming.
On Friday October 17th at 2:30pm ET, Open Primaries President John Opdycke brings together some of the attorneys leading the charge and building a litigation platform and strategy for the reform movement. They’ll discuss the role of litigation in change politics and how getting into court could transform the primary reform movement.
Featuring:
Boyd Rutherford, Former Maryland Lt Governor and partner at Davis, Agnor, Rapaport, & Skalny. <[link removed]>
Chad Peace, Legal Advisor to Independent Voter Project.
Matt Fontana, Partner at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath in Pennsylvania.
Jeremy Gruber, SVP at Open Primaries.
*And special guest, Professor Michael Polelle-plaintiff and counsel in Polelle v. Florida Secretary of State.
You won’t want to miss it!
REGISTER TODAY. <[link removed]>
Have a great weekend
The Open Primaries Team
<[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]> <[link removed]>Open Primaries · 244 Madison Ave, #1106, New York, NY 10016, United States
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