Oklahoma Campaign Ramps Up Signature Drive

The 90-day signature gathering effort for State Question 836 (top two open primaries) in full swing! Volunteer & hired petitioners are now working hard from the panhandle to Tulsa so every Oklahoman has a chance to sign and have their voice heard. If you live in Oklahoma, please sign up to volunteer!  The campaign will train you how to gather signatures - it’s easy, fun, and powerful!  

The Tulsa World ran a great piece about 836 this week. Check it out.

Fundraising for the drive continues with a major fundraising event in Oklahoma City coming up next week. Will you join local donors? Every dollar ensures this important campaign makes it on the 2026 ballot.

Oregon Ballot Initiative Making Headlines

As we’ve been reporting, a pair of ballot initiatives to open the primaries in Oregon were filed by former state Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D), former state Rep. Cheri Helt (R-Bend) and Andrew Kaza, co-chair of the state council of the Independent Party of Oregon.  

They lay out a unique new form of top two primary, one that offers parties and independent candidates a choice-participate in a top two open primary where every voter votes or pay your own way with a party caucus or by gathering signatures if you’re an independent candidate.

This week all three petitioners penned a thoughtful piece in the state’s leading paper on why the largest group of voters in Oregon deserve a vote in the primaries. Check it out.  

A Conservative Reformer Warns Texas Lawmakers

Joe Kirby, a longtime Open Primaries spokesperson from South Dakota, has published an  important new op-ed in The Dallas Morning News on how the Texas GOP’s attempts to close the primaries will hurt the party itself.  In the piece, Kirby talks about how his state’s closed primaries have removed competition and innovation and replaced them with corruption and stagnation.

As Kirby warns:

The Most Interesting Election in the Country is in…Utah?

When Utah State Senator Dan Thatcher changed his party affiliation earlier this year from Republican to Forward Party it caused a small ripple. But now, as the Senator has declared his intent to resign before the end of his term, it’s starting to turn heads.

That's because like a number of other states, Utah law allows the retiring officials’ party to determine the replacement that will finish out his term. And the Utah Forward Party has announced their intention to try a bold new experiment in direct democracy. They plan to hold an open nonpartisan election where every registered voter in the Senator’s district, regardless of party affiliation, can vote with a secure online ballot administered by Secure Internet Voting (SIV). The final winner will be determined using approval voting.

The election is already starting to rile up political insiders in the state who are used to electing replacement politicians with zero input from voters. We’ll keep you updated as it progresses.

Nearly 50% of America’s Veterans are Independent

Independents are the largest and fastest growing group of voters in the country. And one of the largest groups of independent voters are America’s military veterans at nearly 50%. 

With Veterans Day this week, our friend and colleague Paul Rieckhoff of Independent Veterans of America joined former Congressman and fellow veteran Patrick Murphy to talk about why every veteran should be able to vote in every taxpayer funded election.  

Now check out former World Champion Pittsburgh Steeler, distinguished veteran and Purple Heart recipient Rocky Bleier talk about why it’s long past time to repeal closed primaries and enfranchise all of America’s independent veterans.  

 Want to learn more? Check out our veterans fact sheet here.

Louisiana Looks To Shut Independents Out

Last year, party insiders led by Governor Landry led the repeal of the state’s nonpartisan primary for certain offices. But with the repeal, they were unable to exclude independents from the process after public outrage at the prospect of their exclusion.

Now Louisiana is back in the news, as some Republican leaders are pushing to close the system even further and shut out the state’s 800,000 independent voters entirely. The Republican State Central Committee recently passed a resolution asking the Legislature to prohibit independents from casting a ballot in the 2026 Republican primary elections.  Our leaders in Louisiana are telling us that-at least so far- the legislature does not appear in any rush to comply.

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser has been a strong opponent of any further move to close the primaries. As he declared:

Former Hawaii State Legislator Beth Fukomoto penned an in depth piece in the Honolulu Civil Beat this week suggesting that as more states adopt nonpartisan primaries and even more consider it, that it’s past time for Hawaii to join the conversation. 

Hawaii uses an open party primary process with nonpartisan voter registration-every voter picks a ballot on election day. But as Representative Fukomoto suggests, that system could be made more competitive and representative. As she declares:

Can Two Party Politics Meet the Needs of the People? 

A Conversation w/ Independent Candidate for Governor of Maine Rick Bennett

Tuesday November 18th 2025 at 3pm ET

Hosted by John Opdycke

Former State Senate President Rick Bennett represented Mainers for decades as a Republican, but in June he announced he’s leaving the GOP and running for Governor as an Independent: 

“I’m running as an independent because Maine’s next chapter can’t be dictated by party bosses in Washington or by the special interests pouring dark money into our elections.Too many politicians today are more focused on partisan point-scoring than problem-solving. The system thrives on conflict, not resolution, and the issues that matter most – housing, our economy, our schools – get lost in the noise.”

Is this an anomaly, a trend, or who knows?  What does it mean for the independent reform movement when successful politicians like Bennett declare their independence from the binary status quo?  

On Tuesday November 18th at 3pm ET Open Primaries President John Opdycke will sit down with Bennett for a conversation where he’ll ask the simple but big question: 

Can Two Party Politics Meet the Needs of the People?

Register today!

Applications are open for the next Independents’ Spokesperson Training — happening Tuesday, January 27 at 6:30pm ET (via Zoom).

Apply Here  

Open Primaries’ Independents’ Spokesperson Training has empowered hundreds of independent and reform-minded voters from across the country to tell their stories with confidence and impact. In this dynamic, interactive program, participants learn to articulate why they’re independent, challenge partisan myths, and communicate powerfully about the need for open, inclusive elections.

Through a mix of education, performance-based coaching, and storytelling exercises, trainees work directly with professional trainers and political innovators to build their voice and presence. The training offers a rare space where independents can connect, share experiences, and grow as leaders in their communities.

Here’s what recent participants had to say:

Learn how to tell your story, challenge partisan myths, and speak out for open, inclusive elections.

Join hundreds of independents nationwide who’ve already taken part.

Have a great weekend,

The Open Primaries Team