Big Win In Tennessee: Closed Primary Bill Defeated

Since 2009, Tennessee lawmakers have tried to shut independents out of primaries. This year they nearly made it happen. In the end, Nashville superstar and independent veteran Shannon Rasmussen led an effort to stop it in its tracks. Open Primaries joined a coalition of groups inc. Unite America and Veterans for All Voters to help make it happen.

But don’t just take our word for it, listen to the woman of the hour herself:

And ICYMI: Check out Shannon's latest piece in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, as she is joined by OP SVP Jeremy Gruber.

Then check out OP Activist Gabe Hart as he lays out the challenges TN voters continue to have even with an open primary. Primary voters must sign a statement pledging allegiance to a party at the polls. And check out the signs going up at every poll in the state!

Across the South, from Mississippi to South Carolina, efforts to close primaries are gaining ground. Lawmakers in Tennessee are already declaring they’ll be back. Open Primaries will be ramping up our work in the South to take it all on.  Contact National Organizing Director Cathy Stewart at [email protected] to get involved.

Washington Post to DC City Council: Shame on you!

The Washington Post Editorial Board isn’t mincing words: D.C. voters overwhelmingly approved open primaries in 2024, and city Democrats are simply refusing to implement it. About 85,000 independents remain locked out of the only elections that matter in a one-party town—not because of cost (a rounding error in a $21 billion budget), but because party insiders don’t want the competition. Their message is blunt: let all voters vote!

ICYMI: Grow Democracy DC and its fearless leader Lisa Rice are rallying the troops and there will be a Council hearing on May 1st-contact them at [email protected] to learn more and get involved. 

Campaign to Open Oregon’s Primaries Gains Steam

1.35 million independents are barred from voting in Oregon’s closed primary and Oregon Voter Fairness leaders former Governor Kulongoski (D), Drew Kaza (Co-Chair Independent Party of Oregon), and Cheri Helt (R) are championing the effort to open the primaries in the Beaver state. With a final ruling on ballot language issued recently by the Oregon Supreme Court, Voter Fairness is building a statewide team to gather 200,000 signatures by July 3, 2026 to qualify for the November 2026 ballot. Please donate and sign up to volunteer at https://voterfairness.com 

• Ahead of New Mexico’s first open primary, new data shows that of the 70,000-plus new voters that joined the rolls since the law passed, more than 80% registered independent.
• Last year the West Virginia GOP closed their primary. Now they’re sending out mailers claiming ONLY the GOP are allowed to vote in closed primaries.
• A Charter Commission  in Buffalo, NY is considering putting open primaries on the 2026 city ballot.
• A new film-People vs. Politics -premiered at the DC International Film Festival, featuring reform activists from across the country inc. Lisa Rice (DC), David Oclander (MT), and Cesar Marques (NM), along with OP President John Opdycke.

Nothing Unites the Parties Like Fear of Independents

In Arizona, Democrats and Republicans have finally found common ground: stopping independent voters from organizing.

The trigger? A small party trying to rename itself the Arizona Independent Party. That was enough to send both parties racing to court, teaming up with national operatives, and even floating legislation to ban the word “independent” altogether.

This isn’t a policy dispute. It’s panic.

For all their differences, the two parties share a deep interest in limiting real competition — especially from the fastest-growing bloc of voters in the state. The overreaction says it all: when independents start to organize in a way that might actually matter, the parties close ranks.

Jackie Salit and Sarah Smallhouse expose it all in a new oped in the Washington Post.

Record Low Competition in the Midterm General Elections Expected 

Two reports, from Unite America and the Cook Political Report, offer sober predictions for the competitiveness of this year’s midterm general elections for Congress. 

The Cook report expects only 17 of the 435 House seats to be up for grabs between Republican and Democratic Party candidates with the rest firmly in control of either party.

Meanwhile, a Unite analysis found 90% of U.S House and 80% of U.S Senate seats already predetermined. As Unite concluded:

Paul Rieckhoff Takes on Partisan Gerrymandering

This week, OP friend Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director of Independent Veterans of America, joined CNN to talk about the latest effort at partisan gerrymandering in Virginia, the rise of independent voters and what Americans are really looking for. Hint-it’s political reform.

Watch the clip below.

Have a great weekend,
The Open Primaries Team