Repeal Closed Primaries

This spring, Pennsylvania's voters will head to the polls for the Commonwealth's primary elections.

But not everyone is included in this process. That’s because primaries are closed in Pennsylvania.  More than 1.1 million taxpaying Independents are denied their right to vote in these elections, despite paying their share of $20 million a year to fund them.

It’s time to #RepealClosedPrimaries. That’s why Ballot PA has created a petition of our own - and anyone can sign it.

74% of Pennsylvanians support repealing closed primaries - including strong majorities of Independents, Democrats, and Republicans.

Repealing closed primaries would guarantee a more fair process, increase the competitiveness of races, and help limit the amount of extremism and gridlock on both sides.

It is time to #RepealClosedPrimaries and allow every legally registered voter to cast a ballot in PA’s primary. 

Legislators across the Commonwealth can change this unfair election practice by acting now to ensure voters their right to vote in PA primaries. 

Representation for all taxpayers is critical to voting and no political party stands to gain more than the other, with registered Independent voters split evenly in their choice of candidates. Instead, what we truly gain by repealing closed primaries is a fairer democracy.

Join the overwhelming majority of PA voters in favor of ending closed primaries in PA –  #RepealClosedPrimaries now.

 

Ballot PA is a project of the Committee of Seventy and is a growing coalition of civic, community and business organizations committed to ensuring independents in Pennsylvania have the right to vote in primary elections.

 

Who's signing

Patrick Hull
Kellen Cassidy
Amanda Nazzaro
Richard Novacek
Gina Belack
Kimberly Hopkins
Eileen Teti
Barbara Misicko
Ashley Fu
Jeff Ball
Charles Meile
Lynn Johnson
Daniel OHare
Cassius Kopp
Hannah Greer
Matt Dziedzic
Logan Swanger
Benjamin Valimont
Philip Serratore
Daniel Zeo
Harlan Shober
Phillip Zeo Jr
Phillip Zeo
Brandon Hess
David Hutchinson
Ethan Tran
Sarah Walker
Erica Batd
William Day
Rikki Jones
2,781 signatures

Will you sign?

  • Patrick Hull
    signed via 2023-03-13 21:10:16 -0400
  • Kellen Cassidy
    signed via 2023-03-13 21:09:52 -0400
  • Amanda Nazzaro
    signed 2023-03-13 08:43:30 -0400
  • Richard Novacek
    signed via 2023-03-12 17:41:41 -0400
  • Gina Belack
    signed via 2023-03-12 16:35:46 -0400
  • Kimberly Hopkins
    signed via 2023-03-12 07:59:09 -0400
    I have moved to independent because I did not align to the growing extreme of my former party. I would like to see more moderate candidates, but as an independent, only greater extreme candidates make the ballots in which I CAN vote. This undermines my reason for independent status.
  • Eileen Teti
    signed via 2023-03-11 14:44:51 -0500
    PA, it is time to let everyone bote in primaries!
  • Barbara Misicko
    signed via 2023-03-11 14:06:15 -0500
    We need fair honest open elections. It is time to end closed primaries. The largest voting block in this country is independents.
  • Ashley Fu
    signed 2023-03-10 17:41:21 -0500
  • Jeff Ball
    signed via 2023-03-10 16:52:20 -0500
  • Charles Meile
    signed via 2023-03-09 18:54:57 -0500
  • Lynn Johnson
    signed via 2023-03-09 18:18:43 -0500
  • Daniel OHare
    signed via 2023-03-09 16:08:48 -0500
  • Cassius Kopp
    signed via 2023-03-09 00:32:41 -0500
    Seems like you’re asking for a lot of info…..
  • Hannah Greer
    signed via 2023-03-08 16:34:22 -0500
  • Matt Dziedzic
    signed via 2023-03-07 17:32:02 -0500
  • Logan Swanger
    signed 2023-03-07 16:15:45 -0500
  • Benjamin Valimont
    signed 2023-03-07 12:54:59 -0500
    We need to open our primaries. More and more Pennsylvanians are becoming independent and they shouldn’t lose their voice because of our closed primaries
  • Philip Serratore
    signed 2023-03-07 12:28:01 -0500
    I feel my choices are limited to the general election after the Primaries are decided by only registered Democrats and Republicans. This is not how a democratic process should work.
  • Daniel Zeo
    signed via 2023-03-07 11:35:07 -0500
  • Harlan Shober
    signed 2023-03-07 11:33:05 -0500
    Harlan G. Shober Jr.
  • Phillip Zeo Jr
    signed via 2023-03-07 11:18:12 -0500
    It’s been far too long. We the people, who should have a voice in representative government, are denied that right. “No taxation without representation”.
  • Phillip Zeo
    signed via 2023-03-07 09:53:11 -0500
  • Brandon Hess
    signed 2023-03-07 07:39:49 -0500
    Thank you for starting this poll! Very important issue to me.
  • David Hutchinson
    signed via 2023-03-06 18:02:50 -0500
  • Ethan Tran
    signed via 2023-03-06 13:40:11 -0500
  • Sarah Walker
    signed via 2023-03-06 07:13:47 -0500
  • Erica Batd
    signed via 2023-03-05 20:44:53 -0500
  • William Day
    signed via 2023-03-04 11:46:44 -0500
    As you said “fair”
  • Rikki Jones
    signed via 2023-03-03 23:51:35 -0500

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