This has been a breakout year for Open Primaries and the primary reform movement. From passing open primaries through the New Mexico legislature earlier this year to launching a new litigation platform and filing cases across the country, we are on a roll!  So as we end the year, we’re dedicating the next two issues of the Primary Buzz to its highlights. And what a year it’s been!

IT’S OFFICIAL: OPEN PRIMARIES ARE NOW THE LAW OF THE LAND IN NEW MEXICO 

Ten years ago, Open Primaries formed a partnership with New Mexico reform leaders to pass open primaries in the state legislature. This year we succeeded, and on April 7th Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an open primaries bill into law–ensuring over 340,000 registered independent voters will have the right to fully participate in all elections. 

Read the new report on how it all happened, and check out highlights of the media coverage in the AP, Latino News Network, New Mexico Political Report and Las Cruces Sun News.

Then watch our video on the voters that made it all happen-NM independents!

When the New York City Charter Revision Commission started holding public hearings earlier this year, they had no idea what was in store for them.

Over two hundred independent voters showed up and called on the Commission to open NYC’s closed primaries to the over 1,000,000 independent voters in the five boroughs. Two hundred independents changed the entire debate.

While the Commission stopped short of putting open primaries on the ballot, their final report serves as a roadmap - along with the NYC Campaign Finance Board’s own report that 49% of NYC independents are under the age of 40 and the pre-clearance report from former US Attorney Loretta Lynch finding that open primaries would strengthen the ability of protected classes including Black, Hispanic and Asian voters, to participate in the political process.

Also, check out highlights of the extensive media coverage of this groundbreaking organizing campaign in the NY Times, NY Post, and Daily News.

2025 was our biggest media year yet with hundreds of media pieces generated by Open Primaries. Many leaders from the movement stood up and spoke out for reform. Some really stood out:

Senator Joe Manchin

Former Democratic U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, now a registered independent, has been barnstorming across the country all year raising alarms about closed primaries. As he told CNN’s Smerconish in this clip, “we have to have open primaries in order to get candidates who prioritize representation to run and have a chance to win. They are locking us out.”

Maryland Delegate Lily Qi

Delegate Qi, who came of age in China’s cultural revolution, represents one of the largest immigrant districts in Maryland.  As someone who knows very well what real authoritarianism is and what the promise of democracy demands, Delegate Qi talks about the need to let independents into the election process in a powewrful oped in the Baltimore Sun and why that’s so critical to preserving American democracy.

Iowa State Auditor and Gubernatorial Candidate Rob Sand

Rob has been a longtime friend and supporter of open primaries for years, and he’s made primary reform a key part of his campaign for Governor. “The idea that right now in the state of Iowa a third of our state are registered independents whose tax dollars pay for elections that they are not allowed to vote in is unAmerican.

Check out Rob as he chats with Major Garett of CBS News on the need for open primaries:

And if you’re itching for more, watch OP President John Opdycke interview Rob on The Primary Buzz.

Joe Kirby

South Dakota business leader Joe Kirby published an  important op-ed in The Dallas Morning News on how the Texas GOP’s attempts to close the primaries will hurt the party itself. As Kirby warns:

Pat McFerron

Pat McFerron, a well-known pollster and Vote Yes on SQ 886 campaign leader has been all over the news this year. Check out his groundbreaking op-ed in The Oklahoman on why conservatives in Oklahoma should embrace reforming Oklahoma’s primaries and letting all voters vote. Then watch him debate the issue:

OKC Mayor David Holt

Speaking of Oklahoma, OKC Mayor David Holt, the head of the US Conference of Mayors and longtime friend of Open Primaries, continues to champion State Question 836. Check out his appearance on MSNBC where he talks about how open primaries will improve the lives of everyday Americans. 

Then read his special letter to Open Primaries supporters on why our work matters.

Independent voters broke out this year. They stood up. They spoke up. They made headlines. We often say that independents have the numbers, but not the narrative. But here is the dirty little secret that the two party powers that be don’t want anyone to know. When independents organize and make their collective voices heard, they have a profound impact on the political dynamic. Read OP President John Opdycke’s piece in The Hill as he reviews all the impact independents are making across the country. Then check OP SVP Jeremy Gruber and Board Member Dr. Jessie Fields in The NY Daily News on how independents are organizing.

Open Primaries Let Us Vote campaign led the way, offering independents across the country a home to grow, learn and organize. Our new Independents Spokesperson Training Program launched and has already trained dozens of local leaders. Check out some highlights:

Rodzaiah Curtis

Independents drove the public face of the groundbreaking New Mexico campaign and none stood out more than Rodzaiah, a 21 year old Navajo independent. Read his compelling oped here and then watch as he talks about how independents are a “force of power.”

Torsha Childs

Torsha, an independent Brooklyn mother of four (all her kids are independent too!), spoke out at the Charter Revision Commission hearings and has been active across NYC ever since. 

Young Independents Speak Out In NYC…

…and Hit The Streets!

For 15 years, Open Primaries has worked to make one idea mainstream: every voter should be able to vote in every election.

That idea was once dismissed — now it’s everywhere!

Check us out next week as we review the roll out of our litigation program, media highlights, campaigns in Oklahoma and beyond and more!

20 million Independent Americans across 18 states will be barred from voting in 2026. This number is rising every year. Smaller and smaller groups of partisan voters are deciding election outcomes for all of us. 

Remember, 90% of elections are determined in the primaries.  And we shut out millions of people from participating.  No wonder our government is so beholden to smaller and smaller networks of highly organized partisans.  

Enfranchising voters is the core of our work–which is why we’re not sitting back next year. We’ve launched Operation Independent 2026 to organize independents all across the country to shine a light on the real costs of such a terribly designed electoral system.  

Which is why we need every resource available as we head into 2026 to build up an army of leaders, activists and mischief makers. But don’t just take our word. Read from some of our supporters who have already given to our end of year campaign and WHY they choose to support our work:

If you’re among the growing majority of voters who believe ALL voters should be included in next year’s primaries please make a special tax deductible contribution to our 2026 efforts today:

Thank you and happy holidays, 

The Open Primaries Team